Bath Life – issue 349 by MediaClash

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

T IS S UE E

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

BI G

@BathLifeMag

LIF

YEA

O F B ATH

OUR LOYAL READERS HELP US CELEBRATE OUR VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY

TO CELEBRATE OUR BIRTHDAY, WE HAVE FIVE COVERS TO COLLECT

WILD ABANDON BOTANICAL INTERIORS ARE BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN

BI G

BRAGGING BRIGHTS SPARKLE, TWINKLE AND GLISTEN YOUR WAY TO PARTY SEASON

T IS S UE E

E F

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

IN DETAIL

A CLOSER LOOK AT OUDOLF FIELD AT HAUSER & WIRTH

T H L I

A CLOSER LOOK AT OUDOLF FIELD AT HAUSER & WIRTH

MEET BATH’S WORLD-FAMOUS ARCHITECTURAL MODEL-MAKER

GOING GREEN

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

YEA

@BathLifeMag

RS O

T H L I

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

WE RETURN TO THE VERY FIRST RESTAURANT WE REVIEWED 15 YEARS AGO

GOING GREEN

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

AND THE EAT GOES ON

T H L I

@BathLifeMag

RS O

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

RS O CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

EA CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

LIF

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

15 YEARS

O F B ATH

large version

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

T IS S UE E

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

BI G

@BathLifeMag

LIF

YEA

O F B ATH

WE RETURN TO THE VERY FIRST RESTAURANT WE REVIEWED 15 YEARS AGO

TO CELEBRATE OUR BIRTHDAY, WE HAVE FIVE COVERS TO COLLECT

WILD ABANDON BOTANICAL INTERIORS ARE BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN

BI G

SPARKLE, TWINKLE AND GLISTEN YOUR WAY TO PARTY SEASON

T IS S UE E

BI G

A CLOSER LOOK AT OUDOLF FIELD AT HAUSER & WIRTH

BRAGGING BRIGHTS

A CLOSER LOOK AT OUDOLF FIELD AT HAUSER & WIRTH

IN DETAIL MEET BATH’S WORLD-FAMOUS ARCHITECTURAL MODEL-MAKER

GOING GREEN

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

T H L I

YEA

GOING GREEN

RS O

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

OUR LOYAL READERS HELP US CELEBRATE OUR VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

15 YEARS

T H L I

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

YEA

O F B ATH

@BathLifeMag

RS O

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

T IS S UE E

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

LIF

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

LIF

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

AND THE EAT GOES ON

O F B ATH

large version

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

T IS S UE E

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

BI G

@BathLifeMag

LIF

YEA

O F B ATH

MEET BATH’S WORLD-FAMOUS ARCHITECTURAL MODEL-MAKER

TO CELEBRATE OUR BIRTHDAY, WE HAVE FIVE COVERS TO COLLECT Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

E F

BRAGGING BRIGHTS SPARKLE, TWINKLE AND GLISTEN YOUR WAY TO PARTY SEASON

WILD ABANDON BOTANICAL INTERIORS ARE BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN

BI G

E F

WE RETURN TO THE VERY FIRST RESTAURANT WE REVIEWED 15 YEARS AGO

A CLOSER LOOK AT OUDOLF FIELD AT HAUSER & WIRTH

AND THE EAT GOES ON

T H L I

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

T H L I

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

15 YEARS OUR LOYAL READERS HELP US CELEBRATE OUR VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY

YEA

O F B ATH

GOING GREEN

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

RS O

T IS S UE E

EA CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

BI G

@BathLifeMag

RS O

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

T IS S UE E

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

LIF

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

LIF

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

IN DETAIL

O F B ATH

large version

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

T IS S UE E

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

BI G

@BathLifeMag

LIF

YEA

O F B ATH

SPARKLE, TWINKLE AND GLISTEN YOUR WAY TO PARTY SEASON

TO CELEBRATE OUR BIRTHDAY, WE HAVE FIVE COVERS TO COLLECT Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

E F

IN DETAIL MEET BATH’S WORLD-FAMOUS ARCHITECTURAL MODEL-MAKER

WILD ABANDON BOTANICAL INTERIORS ARE BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN

BI G

E F

WE RETURN TO THE VERY FIRST RESTAURANT WE REVIEWED 15 YEARS AGO

A CLOSER LOOK AT OUDOLF FIELD AT HAUSER & WIRTH

AND THE EAT GOES ON

T H L I

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

T H L I

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

15 YEARS OUR LOYAL READERS HELP US CELEBRATE OUR VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY

YEA

O F B ATH

GOING GREEN

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

RS O

T IS S UE E

EA CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

BI G

@BathLifeMag

RS O

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

T IS S UE E

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

LIF

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

LIF

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

BRAGGING BRIGHTS

O F B ATH

large version

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

T IS S UE E

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

BI G

@BathLifeMag

LIF

YEA

O F B ATH

BOTANICAL INTERIORS ARE BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN

TO CELEBRATE OUR BIRTHDAY, WE HAVE FIVE COVERS TO COLLECT Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

E F

WE RETURN TO THE VERY FIRST RESTAURANT WE REVIEWED 15 YEARS AGO

AND THE EAT GOES ON

T H L I

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

T H L I

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

15 YEARS OUR LOYAL READERS HELP US CELEBRATE OUR VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY

YEA

O F B ATH

GOING GREEN

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

A CLOSER LOOK AT OUDOLF FIELD AT HAUSER & WIRTH

IN DETAIL MEET BATH’S WORLD-FAMOUS ARCHITECTURAL MODEL-MAKER

RS O

EA CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

@BathLifeMag

RS O

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

BI G

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

T IS S UE E

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

@BathLifeMag

CELEBRATING THE BEST OF THE CITY

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / £3

T H L I

Entertainment/Dining/Arts/Shopping/Property

LIF

ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017 / HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US

WILD ABANDON

GOING GREEN

A CLOSER LOOK AT OUDOLF FIELD AT HAUSER & WIRTH

BRAGGING BRIGHTS SPARKLE, TWINKLE AND GLISTEN YOUR WAY TO PARTY SEASON

large version

BONITI

NATURAL STONE FLOORING

TIMBER FLOORING

PLEASE SEND ENQUIRIES TO SHOWROOM@BONITI.COM 01225 892 200 WWW.BONITI.COM

EVERHOT RANGE COOKERS

GARDEN FURNITURE

EDITOR’S LETTER / ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017

Milestone moment

IT’S A CELEBRATION

We mark our 15th year with five special-edition front covers

We’ve got a big surprise for you. It was so hard to keep this a secret. This is a first for Bath Life. Ok, I’ll stop with the drumroll now and just tell you: this issue has not one, not two, but five front covers! It’s also the biggest magazine we’ve ever published – with more than double the pages of our usual offering. On top of that, we’ve printed an extra five thousand copies, taking the total number to 15k. That number – 15 – is the very reason we’re doing this… it’s our 15th birthday! We can’t quite believe it either; the time seems to have flown by. Bath has changed so much in that spell, so, on page 49, we hand the mic over to the city’s biggest fans who tell us how, in their eyes, Bath has transformed over the past decade and half (oh, and please excuse us while we blush a little at the kind things they say about us, too). We also revisit the first restaurant we ever reviewed: the Bath institution Woods, where you’ll find Georgian elegance and perfectly poised, practised dishes (page 150). Elsewhere, we bring you our annual autumn home interiors special in which experts and designers share the looks they love, and which ones they wish would disappear (page 64); meet with renowned Bathbased architectural model-maker Timothy Richards who handcrafts strikingly accurate replicas of the world’s most well-known buildings (page 132); and talk with Charles Darwin’s great-great-grandson – who lives in Bath – about his global book business (page 242). We hope you enjoy this very special issue. Tweet, Instagram or email us when you pick up a magazine (to show us which cover you find) and be sure to tell us if you collect all five. We couldn’t do what we do without our readers’ support, so we’d like to say a big thank you to each and every one of you. Here’s to the next 15 years… Lisa Evans, Editor Follow us on Twitter: @BathLifeMag Follow us on Instagram:@bathlifemag

FEATURES / ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017

Country-chic and botanical accents at OKA

AT HOME

From Game of Thrones-inspired interiors, to copper accessories – here’s what’s in, and what’s out

242 Bath Lives

We talk to Charles Darwin’s ancestor William Pryor

REGULARS / ISSUE 349 / 29 SEPTEMBER – 13 OCTOBER 2017

INTERIORS 64 In and out Interior designers and experts’ love and hate for the AW17 home

94 Editor’s choice It’s a new season, so why not treat yourself?

132

M E ET T H E T EAM Editor Lisa Evans lisa.evans@mediaclash.co.uk Managing editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Assistant editor Samantha Walker sam.walker@mediaclash.co.uk Senior art editor Andrew Richmond Graphic design Megan Allison Cover design Trevor Gilham Contributors David Flatman, Nic Bottomley, Nick Woodhouse and Jennifer Jennings Wright Group advertising manager Pat White pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy advertising manager Justine Walker justine.walker@mediaclash.co.uk Account manager Sophie Speakman sophie.speakman@mediaclash.co.uk Sales executive Michael Stevens michael.stevens@mediaclash.co.uk

THE ARTS 119 Arts intro A walk on the wry side with comedian Justin Moorhouse

124 What’s on Our guide to the best music, theatre, events and exhibitions in and around the city

Production and distribution manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy production manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Production designer Matt Gynn matt.gynn@mediaclash.co.uk

140 Music We burst into song with Bath’s beautiul choirs

Chief executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Commercial director Steve Hawkins steve.hawkins@mediaclash.co.uk

145 Bookshelf A look back in wonder from Nic Bottomley

147 Film

FOOD 150 Restaurant Comforting classics are on the menu at Woods in Bath

160 Christmas parties Think outside the box with a party in an air raid shelter or sewing a pair of smalls

179 Food & drink news

The Ivy, 3 Café & Kitchen, The Pig and No.15 Great Pulteney

PHOTO BY TIM WOOLF

We say farewell to our columnist, with her leaving gift to us some movie gems Attention to detail from Bath model-maker Timothy Richards

SHOPPING

PROPERT Y

183 Shopping intro

224 Property showcase

Bling it up with eye-catching jewellery from Ayala Bar

Elegant living in the enviable location of Great Pulteney Street

BUSINESS

DEPARTMENTS

205 Business insider

19 24 37

News, views and interviews from the region’s professionals

Spotlight Society A man’s world

Bath Life, MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash.

About MediaClash We’re a Bath-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrates the best of local living: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter and Salisbury. We also publish foodie mag Crumbs. (www.crumbsmag.com, @CrumbsMag) and wedding title Vow (@VowMag). Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help. Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk On the cover This issue has five different front covers to collect. Cover 1: See what our readers are saying about us on our 15th birthday (page 49) Cover 2: We revisit the very first restaurant we ever reviewed (page 150). Photo by Tim Woolf Cover 3: Meet a world-renowned model-maker (page 132). Photo by Tim Woolf Cover 4: Sparkles from Alexandra May (page 183) Cover 5: Beautiful botanicals and other interior trends (page 64)

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE OF OPTOMETRY

Our new OPTOMAP retinal camera shows so much more than all other retinal cameras due to its patented widescreen technology. Unavailable anywhere else in Bath, it allows an unrivalled view of the retina. When combined with our OCT 3D macula scanner, you can be assured you are getting the most thorough eye examination possible. These are used as part of your 45 minute comprehensive private eye examination.

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WHEN YOUR EYES MATTER 2 Upper Borough Walls, Bath, BA1 1RG | Tel: 01225 444321 email: team@bradabrahams.uk.com | www.bradabrahams.uk.com |

BATH: ITS LIFE AND TIMES

EVENTS

BOXING CLEVER Frank Bruno is coming to Bath, with his talk on health and wellbeing ready to pack a punch. The former WBC heavyweight boxing champion and mental health campaigner will be at the Bath Assembly Rooms on 14 October, as part of the Achieve Expo. But while he’ll be talking about his love of pugilism, expect some surprises. It’s 35 years since he first stepped in the ring, with the boxer a lover of ballet and Strictly Come Dancing. He’d also like to be stranded on a desert island with Queen of Pop Madonna. He’s also acquired a taste for the finer things in life – so he should be at home with Bath’s shops – but says he could easily wear Tesco’s clothes and not care a jot. He won’t get rid of the suit he wore to collect his MBE, though. “I was an inquisitive child and hungry for success,” he says. “I always wanted to be a boxer and my big break was meeting my boxing manager Terry Lawless. “But my biggest achievement

outside of boxing is having my four children; my biggest disappointment is not spending as much time with them as I would like to.” He has spoken of his battle with bipolar disorder, and says that remains his biggest fight out of the ring. 4pm; £18 – £20; Bath Assembly Rooms; www.bathboxoffice.org.uk For more: www.frankbruno.co.uk

Know what I mean, Bath Life readers?

SPOTLIGHT

Rosemary is a fan of the little things

EVENTS

A BRIEF TALK This cheque is something to smile about

FUNDRAISING

THIS WILL BOULES YOU OVER… Next year’s Bath Boules is set to be bigger and better than ever, with a whole week of entertainment planned in the city. New for 2018 will be a Bath Boules Week, with more events and a revamped Friday Night Party taking place. The news comes with the announcement that a massive £52,235 has been raised for local charities, from this year’s event alone. The record-breaking amount was announced at a special Bath Boules breakfast at Hall & Woodhouse on 14 September, and is part of 2020250 – the plan to raise £250,000 by 2020. Now trustees will begin

allocating the first grants – but they still want to hear from worthy causes. “The trustees of the Bath Boules Charity are extremely pleased at this year’s result and thank all those involved in making it a recordbreaking year once more,” says trustee David Gledhill. “The charity supports those helping the young, old and disadvantaged in Bath and, now we know how much has been raised, we have been identifying those charitable causes, both big and small, who will all benefit from this year’s tremendous result.” Play was completely sold out for the event with over 500 businesses involved.

The event’s headline sponsors are Royds Withy King. Graham Street, managing partner at Royds Withy King, says, “Bath Boules reflects our firm’s ethos while also providing a fun and memorable weekend. The Royds Withy King teams of ‘boulers’ are already looking forward to next year’s event, and we hope more businesses will rise to the challenge.” Two other events added to the fundraising success of the boules: a Creative Bath Awards and Summer Party, and a 15th birthday party for Lovehoney, both using the Boules infrastructure in Queen Square. For more: www.bathboules.com

Clothes historian Rosemary Hawthorne is bringing her one-woman show to Bath with a talk on knickers, organised by the Rotary Club of Bathavon, on 11 November. Rosemary’s passion for pants has led to a successful career, including TV appearances and books, including Knickers: An Intimate Appraisal She had wanted to be an actress, but having seven children with her vicar husband John put paid to that. “I collected old clothes, including old bras and knickers, and became a passionate student of costume history, a keen member of costume societies and, gradually, a respected fashion historian,” she says. “But it has been hard on the vicar. “Poor man, now he’s retired and only needs to button into his ancient cassock to take the occasional service – often, alas, a funeral (it’s his age) he has found, if not solace, new pleasure in accompanying me on my various speaking engagements and stage performances. “And, darling, guess what? The vicar is now my manager and roadie. “He helps me clear up after a show. I tell him not to complain; not many ageing clerics get a chance to handle luminous thongs in Cleethorpes.” For more: 7.30pm; £15; St Luke’s Church, Bath; 01934 713412

Adventures in party-going

A little star from junior folk dance group Steps in Time

SCENE

SPONSORED BY:

Aurora Berkestam DrysĂŠn

AC ROS S B AT H , O N E S H I N D I G AT A T I M E

A NOVEL OCCASION Austenites united for the opening of the Jane Austen Festival, with a rather genteel promenade through the streets of Bath on 9 September. The procession of people wearing 18th-century costume started in the Royal Crescent, and ended 90 minutes later in the Parade Gardens. The event saw young and old join in the tribute to Bathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most famous author, with Austenites coming from around the world to take part. Photos by Nick Cole www.nickcolephotography.co.uk

Brian and Julie Miller with Cecilia Farren

Enjoying a hearty stroll through Bath

Enjoying a well-earned rest

Francesca Po, Andris Wood and Robin Woodward

Errol Thomas and Dawn Stevens

24 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SPONSORED BY:

SOCIETY

Continued from page 24

These Regency ladies were perfectly turned out

Juliana and Patrick Gaul

Siru, Seija and Minni came from Finland for the promenade

Thérèse Athmer Xxxxxx

Laura, Sue and Roger Fairman

Daniel, Callum and Megan MacMillan from Loughborough

Margaret Beavies and John Atkinson

Helen Bartholomew and David Symington Kim Howells and Gemma Kot

26 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SPONSORED BY:

SOCIETY

NO HALF MEASURES

Dave Dixon, Anne Moss and Tim Moss

The success of the Bath Half was the subject of a talk at the Bath Life Business Club on 11 September. Race directors Andrew and Mel Taylor spoke to a captivated crowd about the year-round effort it takes to put the race on, as well as the record amount raised for charities from the event. The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa was the venue for the BLBC, with a delicious two-course lunch served. See our feature on the Bath Life Business Club in our next issue. Photos by David Shoukry www.englishphotoworks.com Mark and Rachel Allen

Toby Talbot

Guest speakers Andrew and Mel Taylor

Chelsea Speakman and Millie Chambers

Lucy Terrell and Sam Croudace

LĂŠonie Spencer and Lucie Willis

28 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Mohamed Safwat and Ramsey Marwan

SPONSORED BY:

SOCIETY

VERVE FOR LIFE

Verve co-owners Michelle Aitken and Jacqui Edmiston

A fascinating insight into contemporary portrait painting kicked off Verveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programme of autumn events on 6 September. Bath-based artist Richard Twose spoke at the interiors shop, discussing what makes a great portrait and why the medium endures â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even in the age of digital photography. Photos by David Shoukry www.englishphotoworks.com

Richard Twose

Philippa and Roger Biles with SophieMay Twose

Jenny Cowderoy

Annette Mercer, Evgenia Rebotunova and Annette Williams

Janet Young

Karen Twose and Claire Riou 30 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Karen and Robin Parker

SPONSORED BY:

SOCIETY

ARTISTIC STREAK A drinks reception was held at Walcot Chapel in Bath to celebrate to the opening of an exhibition from artist Angus Joseph, AKA BUOY. Angus grew up in Bath but now lives in London, with his FORMA exhibition a collection of striking works. “I was keen to show the work at the beautiful chapel and raise money for a charity close to my heart,” says Angus. “Over the last two years, two of my friends killed themselves because they felt they didn’t have anyone to talk to about their pain and depression, and so the exhibition and events prior to the show were in aid of CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably).” Photos by Bonnie Rose www.bonnie-rose.co.uk

Jarrad Thomas, Alexandra Miller, Radel Barham and Tom Calvert Private view

The event’s important message

Room with a view

Dodi, Daisy and Sara Swan-Capper Angus, Tory, Hebe and Richard Wilson

Ash Bailey and Lottie Heynen

Jeffery,Merenna and Lise Wilson 32 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

SPONSORED BY:

SOCIETY

NO PAIN, NO GAIN A multi-sports event came to Bath just for the over 50s. The Vintage Games aimed to show that it’s never too late to exercise, as well as letting people take part in some sports from their younger days. The event was organised by Patrick Ismond, who says he hopes bring the games back to Bath next year.

Walking football winners Yeovil

Patrick Ismond

Photos by Tim Woolf www.woolfandrogersphotography.com

He shoots, he scores

Family affair for Malcolm Cruse

GIVE ME THE MOONLIGHT Disco fever came to the streets of Bath when over 650 women stepped out for the Bath Moonlight Walk. The Dorothy House Hospice Care event is now in its 11th year, with walkers covering an eight km route around Bath on 9 September. This year’s theme was Saturday Night Divas, with fundraisers sporting their most eye-catching outfits. Emily Knight, Dorothy House’s fundraiser, says, “The atmosphere throughout the evening was amazing and the enthusiasm of the walkers was truly heart-warming to see.”

Stepping out for a good cause Prize-winning Sarah Hills and friends These ladies were in the frame

Four Saturday night divas in action 34 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E L E I S U R E

ALL-NEW BATH SPORTS AND LEISURE CENTRE OPENING SOON! Exciting new facilities at the BATH SPORTS AND LEISURE CENTRE will mean you can bounce, bowl and enjoy tasty food in the American-style diner

he wait is very nearly over. Bath Sports and Leisure Centre are getting ready to invite you to take a look inside Bath’s very first Trampoline park, ten pin bowling, soft play and diner! The opening of the all-new facilities will mark the end of phase two of the leisure centre’s £10 million refurbishment, in partnership with Bath and North East Somerset Council, delivered by the highly regarded design and construction company, Createability Ltd. Phase two consisted of 11 months of work to include brand-new products, which has transformed Bath Sports and Leisure Centre into a hot spot for the local community, as well as adding to the ever buzzing tourism that frequently descends on the beautiful and UNESCO World Heritage city. Replacing the previous Zany Zone soft play facility, the brand-new full enclosed five storey

“OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK WITH LOADS OF ACTIVITIES”

Better play structure allows children under 12 to climb, crawl and hang about, and parents can relax in the knowledge that they are in a safe and fun environment. With an additional baby area for children from three months to three years, it’s perfect for families of all ages. The eight lane ten pin bowling complex is also something to be very excited about and a first for Bath! Open seven days a week with loads of activities for friends and family of all ages, the centre will offer birthday parties, family play, student deals and corporate events, the ideal venue for any occasion. Plus, not forgetting Bath’s very first trampoline park too! With over 62 trampolines, you can bounce, dodge, balance and dive into a whole heap of fun. With unique features like the ‘wipe out’, ‘dunk hoops’, foam pits, diving boards

and dodge ball, there really is something to keep children and adults of all ages active and entertained. Finally, at the centre of the leisure area you will be able to find a brand new Better diner. In a fun American diner style, you can enjoy hot and cold beverages as well as a full cooked menu, including freshly cooked pizzas, burgers, hot dogs and so much more, with the added benefit that all food is oven cooked! This American-style diner will offer you the classics while you enjoy bowling with friends and family, after a good jump around in the Extreme trampoline park, or if you're waiting for your little ones in the soft play. You don’t have to look any further when trying to find something to do to suit all ages and interests; register your interest now to keep up to date on the opening.

Find out more or book online: www.better.org.uk/bath-highlights.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 35

A MAN’S WORLD

DAVID FLATMAN

SETTLED IN

Some people prefer to change it up and keep moving from place to place, but, for Flats, living in Bath is all that he’s ever wished for

ome folks never settle. They never get a chance to settle. I met a lady last week who described herself as ‘an army girl’ and who found alien the very concept of living forever in one city. I also have friends who, having grown up in Bath and having had wonderful childhoods, couldn’t wait to get away to London. I find this a frankly mad decision as, well, Bath is just so lovely. I mean, I felt the same about escaping my home town, so perhaps it’s normal and human (though being chased and threatened on nights out by knife-wielding traveller gangs on a semi-regular basis does, I think, provide a solid explanation of my apparent escapist dreams). In a sense, the we-spent-a-couple-of-years-inIndia and my-job-took-us-to-Singapore brigades evoke a dose of envy, as well they might. To see the world – different worlds – for more than a mere, holidaying millisecond is something that would surely benefit all, yet I find myself craving that exposure not one jot. Of course, there are plenty of places I’d love to visit and journeys I intend to undertake, but living elsewhere – calling another place home – just doesn’t compute here. I do a lot of driving and, more often than is probably polite, I find myself passing through a town or a village and wondering, brutally, why on earth people chose to live there. It was while engaging in some deep research for this column on my iPad in the lovely coffee shop at Brissi that the ignorance of this internalised but oft repeated question came to me; perhaps these places are, for whatever reason,

in geographical possession of the souls of their inhabitants. Some might regard such wiggle-proof loyalty to a city to be odd or, quite understandably, unambiguous. And perhaps they have a point. But isn’t there something quite lovely about feeling truly settled? Truly at home? Wandering down into town (ok, getting a taxi and blaming an old injury) for supper at Corkage last Monday, throwing down a few glasses too many of Pinot Noir (I’m no expert, I just drank what they told me to drink), inhaling a metric ton of lovely food, and being in my bed seven minutes after leaving – teeth brushed and dogs patted – just felt so luxurious. I do not crave a swankier, more prestigious life. In fact, when I’m away, all I crave is a school run followed by a Colonna coffee, a hour of being too fat and wheezy at CrossFit, a baguette from Intermezzo, and an espresso with cake from The Porter. The way I see it, even David Beckham couldn’t do Tuesdays any better than that. Many of the marauding masses will be truly happy, no doubt, but, to this prematurely aged 37-year-old, the discovery of Bath and its subsequent adoption are all that might be wished for. Have I settled down too early? Probably, but it isn’t half fun being that bloke from Bath.

THE WAY I SEE IT, EVEN DAVID BECKHAM COULDN’T DO TUESDAYS ANY BETTER THAN THAT

David Flatman is an ex-Bath and England rugby star turned TV pundit and rent-o-mic. Follow him on Twitter @davidflatman

COPPINS Goldsmith & silversmith

C e l e b r at i n g 3 5 y e a r s i n C o r s h a m

B es p o k e J e w e lle ry | Fi ne gemsto nes | R e pa i rs & C om m is s ions 1 Church street, Corsham, SN13 0BY 01249 715404 info@coppinsofcorsham.co.uk www.coppinsofcorsham.co.uk

MEET THE ARTIST

ROBERT WALKER 21 BROAD STREET, BATH, 12 – 4 pm

SATURDAY 14TH OCTOBER

Autumn at the ART Salon Meet the Artist Robert Walker The Still Life 14 October 2018 12 – 4pm Exhibition runs until 4th November Roo Abrook Beauty 11 November 2018 12 – 4 pm Exhibition runs until 9th December Christmas Exhibition Prints, Ceramics, Fine Art & Gifts 11 November – 22 December Mon to Sat 11 – 6pm & Sunday 12 – 4pm

HAPPY B I R T H D AY TO US

15 Y E A R S O F This month, we’re celebrating 15 years of Bath Life magazine! And because we couldn’t do what we do without our readers’ support, indulge us awhile as we share some of the kind things people are saying to us on our big birthday By L I SA E VA NS

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 49

3 2

s the title magazine of MediaClash – a small, independent publisher – we’re rather proud of our 15-year anniversary. Bath is at the heart of everything we do. It’s so much more than our nine-to-five, it’s our obsession. One that only increases as we embark upon the next 15 years. But we aren’t really given to blowing our own trumpet. So we passed the buck to some of the city’s great and good – from film director Ken Loach to Bath’s MP Wera Hobhouse – who also tell us how, in their eyes, the city has changed, developed and grown over the years….

RICHARD LONGHURST AND NEAL SLATEFORD Co-owners of Bath’s Lovehoney “We are huge fans of Bath Life and it’s great that we are both celebrating our 15th birthdays in the same year. We are two independent businesses that have grown up together in this wonderful city and we have been very grateful for the support you have given us in growing Lovehoney over the years and creating jobs in Bath. “What we love about Bath Life is its passion for the city and all the wonderful things which happen here. We always pick up a copy every month – it’s the perfect companion for anyone who wants to get the best out of our city. And the Bath Life Awards are a wonderful way to champion the people making a difference.”

NICHOLAS WYLDE Leading jewellery designer “Bath Life has been the society magazine for the city for many years and we are proud to have been involved from the very beginning. We are a very visual, forward-thinking company and the magazine has been among the first to showcase new collections of our unique jewellery. Congratulations on your anniversary! We are celebrating our 30th anniversary this year. “I have run my business with the thought that there is always room for change and improvement and it’s great to see the city has done the same over the past 15 years. Some changes in the city have been for the better, others are questionable – but if you don’t try, there is no change at all. We are very lucky to be living and working in such a beautiful city.” 50 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

LES REDWOOD Head of business development and partnerships at Visit Bath “Bath Life is a vital part of the fabric of our city. The amazing MediaClash team behind this impressive operation has successfully grown, developed and matured just as our city and surrounds have done over the last 15 years. “From my point of view, the development of SouthGate marked a sea change in our offering as a city – this has kick-started perhaps the biggest developments in our amazing World Heritage Site in a generation. “Bath Life has travelled this journey with us all and has morphed and improved just as our city has; however, it never forgets its roots and its history, and embraces change and new challenges as they inevitably come down the track. The championing of our independent business sector as well as the successful balancing of the offer of the national businesses is true testament to this. One can never finish a comment such as this without mentioning the indefatigably enthusiastic and driven MediaClash team.”

TO HAVE A COLUMN OF MY OWN IN MY FAVOURITE MAGAZINE FEELS, EVEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME, LIKE A RARE OLD TREAT

4 GABRIELLE APLIN

Chart-topping singer “Thank you, Bath Life, for supporting the arts, music and especially local musicians. It means so much and it’s so important to have a local magazine that champions artists who come from Bath. I really appreciate all of the support you have given me over the past few years, and congratulations on your 15-year anniversary!”

H A P P Y B I R T H D AY TO US

9 7

LOUISE PRYNNE Former chief executive of Bath Business Improvement District “Bath Life has consistently delivered engaging and incisive reading to residents and visitors to the city. Beautifully produced, the magazine has become part of Bath’s business and social DNA. Over 15 years, the pages have marked and celebrated the city’s key moments – including the successful ballot to create the Bath Business Improvement District. We’ve also seen new hotels opening, and the long awaited green light for the redevelopment of The Rec. Multi-channel shopping and a new riverside enterprise zone have created new opportunities for Bath to build its provenance as a distinctive destination. “The publication has supported the business community, while the Bath Life Awards have championed business excellence in the city and helped cement a community of individuals and businesses, all committed to building a resilient and relevant 21st century city that sacrifices none of its heritage.”

BILL VASILIEFF CEO of Novia Financial “The magazine is a must-read for those interested in keeping up with all that’s happening in Bath in the social, cultural and business scenes. It champions everything that is good about the city and has a real buzz about it. So entrenched is it in the daily lives of Bathonians, that it seems like a permanent fixture; we all wish it well for the next 15 years. “As for how Bath has changed over the years, when I set Novia up in the SouthGate area in 2009, the area was unrecognisable from the developed, vibrant scene that it is now. I have been a Bath resident for nearly 30 years and see the city’s ability to adapt and embrace change as one of its greatest strengths.”

ANDREW AND CHRISTINA BROWNSWORD Owners of Andrew Brownsword Hotels, including The Bath Priory “Congratulations to all the team on your 15th anniversary. Some say that print is dead, but Bath Life is evidence to the contrary and a great read for visitors and residents alike. Its features, especially those supporting our city’s small, independent, businesses, are a reason Bath continues to thrive. “The period during which Bath Life has been published has seen some great developments for the city. The development of SouthGate has much improved the first impression for those arriving by train, and we are similarly hopeful that the current work on the riverside will continue to restore one of our city’s most neglected areas. The energy of individuals to bring brilliant festivals to Bath has also been a striking achievement of the last 15 years – Bath Literature Festival, The Great Bath Feast and Bath in Fashion are just a few examples of events that have very successfully positioned Bath as offering something extra, and we hope similar events continue. It’s also been a great pleasure to see the preservation of some of Bath’s key buildings.”

GILL AND JOHN MCLAY Artistic directors of Bath Children’s Literature Festival “Bath is an incredible city that has changed in many ways over the last 10 years. The architectural design for one, and it’s great to see more and more happening in our outdoor spaces too. The outdoor film screenings, Forest of Imagination and of course The Bath Festival. We love it when the city comes alive, and it’s great to see it happening more and more. The one thing that hasn’t changed is the community spirit, and that’s why people continue to start new, innovative and creative ventures and go on to succeed. And it’s great to see and hear about what’s going on in Bath on the pages of Bath Life.”

MATT BANAHAN Bath Rugby player and former England international

“Bath Life has been a huge part of the city’s identity, and it’s a great testament to everyone involved to see the publication reach its 15-year milestone. The magazine has stood the test of time supporting local businesses and the wider community – a philosophy which continues to this day. As a Bath Rugby player, and someone who is passionate about this city, I’m looking forward to the next 15 years ahead. A big thank you to Bath Life on behalf of everyone associated with Bath Rugby.”

w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 51

H A P P Y B I R T H D AY TO US

PROFESSOR ROBERT ADAM Internationally renowned architect, and director at ADAM Architecture “In an age where the conventional press is increasingly challenged, Bath Life is a beacon that lights up local culture and distinctiveness. Thriving communities need high-quality publications such as this which offer so much more breadth than the silos of social media. “As for Bath, from its days as an 18th-century spa until the middle of the last century, Bath was a remarkable example of continuity in change. Helped by the availability of an easily won and manageable stone and an almost universal recognition that the classical, and even the gothic, traditions were something that worked in the past just as well as the contemporary world, new buildings could be different but fit in with their forebears. But this harmony is now threatened, not by the traditional scapegoats of technology, commerce or progress, but by a theory – the theory that to be modern you have to do something that very obviously had never been done before. History and logic refute this theory but it has been turned into a messianic tyranny promoted by architects and enforced by their allies in planning. It is a crime and is destroying Bath.”

WERA HOBHOUSE Bath’s MP “I’d like to congratulate Bath Life on the years they have spent celebrating the best our city has to offer. Providing a platform for our independent businesses, arts organisations, and successful local people is a valuable endeavor, especially given how difficult the climate is for some of these groups at the moment. “I used to work as an artist, and although I don’t have as much time to go to exhibitions as I’d like, it’s exciting looking through the magazine’s pages, and seeing how many Bath has on show. Bath has always had a creative undercurrent – a trait that must be valued and protected. I look forward to supporting the city’s creative output in my job, and I’m glad Bath Life will be there to document it.” 52 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

12 15

CAROLE BANWELL General manager of Bath City FC “In 15 years, we’ve seen 221,943 spectators come through the turnstiles at Twerton Park, 886 Bath City league goals, five Bath City managers, two Bath City league promotions – but only one Bath Life. May the magazine continue to hit the back of the net for many years to come.”

13 15

COUNCILLOR IAN GILCHRIST The Mayor of Bath

“I came to Bath 34 years ago, and apart from the general beauty of the place, I was mainly struck by the fact that most of the old buildings seemed to be covered with scaffolding and plastic sheets from which a continuous stream of water was emerging. Strange, but this turned out to be a brave attempt to remove decades of grime from the honey-coloured Bath stone buildings. The result as you walk around is undoubtedly worth it, though if you had not seen the buildings before, you would probably not appreciate the difference now. Many people comment to me that Bath is a wonderful place to just have a wander. I would completely agree, though advising they should also remember to look up at the skyline or they will miss the individuality added to some buildings.”

KIRSTEN ELLIOTT Bath historian and author Looking back at the Bath of 15 years ago compared with now, I am amazed at the changes. The spa was still not open, but today it is one of Bath’s great success stories, adding millions each year to the local economy. Another business that didn’t exist 15 years ago was our publishing company, Akeman Press. Rather to our surprise, we now have 21 books on our back list, with seven other authors besides ourselves. “So has Bath improved or deteriorated over that time? There are arguments on both sides. I know many feel despondent about Bath’s future, but I think the current spate of demonstrations, the formation of protest groups and the activities of community campaigns are a good thing. They’re happening because people really care about the city. It’s that love of the city which means that, whenever Bath has had problems, the public has vigorously responded.”

WE LOVE IT WHEN THE CITY COMES ALIVE

SUE PORTO CEO of St John’s Foundation “A very happy anniversary. This is a magazine that not only showcases and celebrates the best of our city, but helps us all to discover the hidden gems that make Bath one of the best places to live and work. We are so fortunate to be part of such a vibrant city and to have a local magazine that actively champions every corner of it.”

H A P P Y B I R T H D AY TO US

ROBERT VANDER WOERD Managing director of Mallory “Having worked in central Bath for nearly 50 years, one could be in danger of sounding like Victor Meldrew. Bath is steeped in history combined with magnificent architecture. In the early 1970s, decisions were made to replace dilapidated buildings which now appear unsympathetic to the surroundings. However, in the last 10 years, we have learnt from our mistakes and are designing buildings in keeping with their Georgian surrounds. Bath is fortunate to have a thriving retail environment which attracts visitors as well as commercial businesses, ensuring a healthy mix. For those of us who live and work in Bath, we are indeed privileged. Bath Life magazine encompasses all aspects of city life and is focused on what makes it tick.”

KEN LOACH Film director “Bath Life extends beyond the great and the good in the city centre. There have been lots of changes in the city, many going back more than the magazine’s 15 years. Mass tourism kills. The old, slightly scruffy but beautiful city, that was self-sufficient and looked its age, has disappeared. Please, no more shiny new buildings, and save us from the disaster of a rugby stadium on The Rec!”

DAVID JAMES Chief executive of Visit Bath “We are proud to work with such a dynamic and thriving local publication that champions all that is great about Bath – from independent businesses, many of which are Visit Bath members, to all the great events that take place in the city, including our Great Bath Feast and the Christmas Market. “Bath has thrived over the last 15 years with visitor numbers growing to around six million per year. The city has certainly embraced the contemporary with the historical with the addition of Thermae Bath Spa and the regeneration of areas such as SouthGate and Milsom Place. The Christmas Market has grown to become one the of the biggest and most popular in the country during this time and Bath has also seen numerous new hotel openings, festivals and sporting events making it even more attractive to visitors.”

JONATHAN STAPLETON General manager of The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa “We’ve enjoyed working with Bath Life over the years, with the hotel being under various ownerships. Since I joined The RCH team in 2014, we have worked closely with the BL team to grow our relationship with what is much more than a magazine – it is a lifestyle choice for leisure in the city, and, for us, outstanding supporters of local businesses.”

TIM WARREN Leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council “Firstly, a very Happy Birthday to Bath Life and all involved in making the magazine such a success. When the first issue came out, there was no social media. It is a tribute to the way in which you have served our city that you have survived – indeed thrived – through all these changes. You have done this by reflecting in your pages our changing city, particularly the dynamism of local entrepreneurs and small business leaders. “Over the years, I am proud of how we have welcomed Syrian refugees to the city, and I am delighted to see that Bath Life has highlighted the excellent work of Bath Welcomes Refugees. The magazine reflects our diverse and vibrant city and you have certainly earned your place among our distinctive local media scene.”

PETER BROWN (AKA Pete the Street), artist “It’s great getting Bath Life through the door. It’s always been a proper-quality, beautifully produced magazine, so it’s great to actually feature in. But me aside for a minute, my first stop is the What’s On section – a great guide to exhibitions, plays, music, family fun. The next essential is of course flicking through Scene and checking out who you recognise. Then, when I’m feeling a tad more intellectual, there are always interesting interviews with local people – artists, writers, actors, sportspeople, businesspeople, and, sometimes, even me! What’s more to like?” w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 53

H A P P Y B I R T H D AY TO US

IT’S THE PERFECT COMPANION FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO GET THE BEST OUT OF OUR CITY

DAME GLYNIS BREAKWELL University of Bath president and vice-chancellor “Bath is a university city; the people who work and study at the University of Bath cherish Bath Life. The city is constantly evolving, spurred on by the passion of its residents and bolstered by its many visitors. It has a rich history, impressive architecture and a wealth of leisure activities – festivals, restaurants, galleries, markets, museums, theatres and a great rugby team. It’s difficult to keep pace with all that Bath has to offer, but Bath Life captures the diversity and intensity of this great city’s activities and blends them into a publication that is quintessentially ‘Bath’.”

EMILY HEAD Actress “The fact that an independent magazine can continue its success in a time where most people expect news stories and information to be delivered to their smartphones and tablets is a testament to the people who work at Bath Life, and it just goes to show how well-loved the magazine is by the residents of Bath. My favourite sections are What’s On and Dining. With shows and exhibitions popping up all the time, and new restaurants opening, it can be difficult to keep tabs on what’s going on when you’re away, so I find Bath Life’s reviews and recommendations invaluable.”

COVER TO COVER To celebrate our 15th birthday, we’ve not only printed 15,000 copies of this issue (5k more than usual) but we’ve brought you five different front covers. Tweet and Instagram us on @bathlifemag to show us which ones you find, and let us know if you collect them all! The covers depict our five main themes that we showcase in each issue: entertainment, dining, arts, shopping and property. Which is your favourite?

54 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

NICK STEEL Director of the Bath Comedy Festival “Every spring, we look forward to the Comedy Festival preview in Bath Life with a mixture of glee and trepidation. Great to have it beautifully set out in glorious colour for all to see, but now comes the hard bit: we have to get on and actually stage the festival that we have been planning for the last 12 months! “As a resident of Widcombe’s high street, and an ardent champion of the area’s regeneration, the most obvious change I’ve seen in Bath is in the ambience of what is now Bath’s most lively urban village. The traffic calming brought about by the longawaited bypass has spawned a vibrant café society and a whole new generation of independent businesses. The shops boast nigh on 100 per cent occupancy, and with three great pubs, I’m proud to live here; and where better to use as a base for Bath Comedy?”

DAVID FLATMAN Former Bath and England rugby player “From the very day I moved from London to Bath, Bath Life has been part of a caffeine-based routine that I enjoy now as much as I ever did. First, I turn to see all the posh houses in the back, before flicking to the start to see who’s been out and about town and, inevitably, wondering why I wasn’t invited. To have a column of my own in my favourite magazine feels, even after all this time, like a rare old treat.”

CLARE TEAL Jazz singer and radio presenter Congratulations Bath Life! I have such happy memories of my time in Bath. Your magazine is an excellent companion to this beautiful city.

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E E D U C AT I O N

WE MAKE LEARNING FUN New childcare setting OLDFIELD ROAD NURSERY is helping children develop into the best individuals they can be through caring and creative play

ldfield Road Nursery is a beautiful new setting in Oldfield Park. We set out to be inspired by our children and to develop them into the best individuals they can be. Up to 50 children, aged from nought to five, can explore the large Georgian building through exciting play set over three floors. We have created rooms specifically dedicated to role play, art, construction and more. Our expansive garden is an enchanting place where we spend lots of time. We have a safe pond area for the children to explore nature and life cycles, and a fire pit for storytelling and friendship building. There is also a sand pit, water play, a stage area, a glorious mud kitchen and a vegetable patch. Additionally, we often head out on exciting trips to explore our wonderful city. We passionately believe that nursery-aged children do not need to be taught in the traditional sense, but rather that they need to be developed through inspiring child-led play. Every child is unique, with their own interests and strengths, and so they develop best when given the freedom to take charge of their own learning. By surrounding your child’s absorbent mind with a range of fascinating resources and opportunities, your child’s play will be nurtured and extended to build them into confident, curious individuals. The children are guided in their learning by skilful, knowledgeable adults who are, most importantly, lots of fun! As at our sister setting, the fantastic Midford Road Nursery in Combe Down, we

XX I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

“NURSERY-AGED CHILDREN DO NOT NEED TO BE TAUGHT IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE” encourage free-flow play. This means that children of all ages get the opportunity to play together as much as possible. Younger children can watch and learn from older children, and older children learn to be caring and understanding. However, each age group has their own ‘base’ in which they can spend time and engage in age-specific play or some key group time. We offer a range of healthy meals and snacks, which never contain any added salt or sugar. We have our own vegetable patch in which the children can help to grow some of the fruits, vegetables and herbs that they eat. We also encourage the children to get involved with preparing and cooking their food. Oldfield Road Nursery is open from 7:30am until 6:30pm 51 weeks per year. We offer funded places for two and three year olds. Please give us a call or an email with any questions or to arrange a visit. You can also visit our website for more information.

01225 335008 info@oldfieldroadnursery.co.uk www.oldfieldroadnursery.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 57

ased in the Cotswolds, Brookman Greene has quickly established a reputation for producing high-end elegant events. We produce celebrations ranging from stunning weddings to private celebrations in your residence, on fields and lawns or in venues of your choice. We also offer a service where we can help style your venue,

using our eclectic mix of prop hire, or we can provide a set up service, and management on the day. We focus on the timeless values of fairness, generosity and trust to ensure that you receive the best possible service, all delivered with the warmth, style and elegance that Brookman Greene is known for.

We care about each occasion as if it was our own Brookman Greene West Kington, Wiltshire SN14 7JJ +44 (0)1249 782906 | info@brookmangreene.co.uk www.brookmangreene.co.uk

* NOW RECRUITING PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS * BUSINESS | AIRPORTS | EVENTS | TOURS | WEDDINGS

TELEPHONE | +44 (0) 1225 4634 04 EMAIL | ENQUIRIES@CHAUFFEURTRAVEL.CO.UK WEB | CHAUFFEURTRAVEL.CO.UK

REOPENED AFTER REFURBISHMENT IN MARCH THIS YEAR FABULOUS SELECTION OF LIMITED HIGH END DESIGNER COSTUME JEWELLERY FOR EVERY OCCASION. PERSONAL SERVICE TO FIND EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.

POP IN AND SEE FOR YOURSELF 23 BROCK STREET BATH BA1 2LW WWW.ALEXANDRAMAY.COM 01225 465 094

V E T E R I N A RY C A R E A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

SO YOU’RE GETTING A NEW PET… You’ll find useful advice, tips and support at BATH VET SURGERIES

etting a new pet is very exciting and the team at Bath Vets are on hand to give you and your family advice, and help to look after your new best friend. Our eight local surgeries in and around Bath offer appointments throughout the day, including our new Bath Cat Clinic, previously Beaufort Veterinary Surgery, which is solely devoted to providing exceptional veterinary care for your cats. All our surgeries are supported by Rosemary Lodge Hospital which is on your doorstep to provide extra care, when needed, with a vet on site 24 hours every day and night of the year. We offer FREE vet health checks for all new clients and for our existing clients with new pets. We also offer free nurse appointments for kitten and puppy owners where you can learn more about feeding, neutering and socialisation – in fact, anything that you and the family want to know about your new addition! Puppy Parties are also available at Rosemary Lodge and Melksham Surgery. It 62 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

is very important for your puppy at the first stages of life, to learn social skills with a positive experience. Please call to book your place and avoid disappointment. Our Pet Health Club is a money saving preventative healthcare plan, members will receive regular health checks, relevant vaccinations and flea and worm treatment, as well as many other discounts and benefits. Visit our website for full details www.bathvetgroup.co.uk or keep up to date with what’s going on by liking us on Facebook, just search Bath Vets.

Our Clinics: • Rosemary Lodge Hospital, Wellsway, Bath, BA2 5RL; 01225 832521 • Bath Cat Clinic, 4 Beaufort East, London Road, BA1 6QD; 01225 312061 • Chapel Veterinary Surgery, Forest Road, Melksham, SN12 7AA; 01225 702427 • Marshfield Veterinary Surgery, 57 High Street, Marshfield, SN14 8LR; 01225 891171 •Oldfield Park Veterinary Surgery, 4 Third Avenue, Oldfield Park, BA2 3NY 01225 423652 • Peasedown Veterinary Surgery, 46 Bath Road, Peasedown St John, BA2 8DL 01761 435673

Rosemary Lodge, Wellsway, Bath BA2 5RL 01225 832521 www.bathvetgroup.co.uk f Bath.Vet.Group

• Saltford Veterinary Surgery, 478B Bath Road, Saltford, BS31 3DJ; 01225 872002 • Station Road Veterinary Surgery, Lower Weston, BA1 3DY; 01225 428921 • Park Road Vets, 11 Park Road, Keynsham, Bristol, BS31 1BX; 0117 9339 933.

Crafting beautiful homes in stunning locations Bath Somerset Wiltshire Cotswolds Dorset Timeless design Refined quality Bespoke specification

01225 791155 ashford-homes.co.uk

AUTUMN HIDEAWAY The new season has arrived, so we ask local home interiors experts about the looks they love – and which ones they wish would go away By L I SA E VA NS

There’s a highland, country edge to this boot room decorated by OKA 64 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

INTERIORS SPECIAL

Golds and bronzes have finally overtaken the copper trend. We love this metallic look at Woodhouse & Law

s the long nights set in, we tend to spend more time at home, so investing in your space and making it warmer, more inviting and cosier means a night by the fire is even more appealing. That’s why John Law, co-director of Woodhouse & Law on Bathwick Hill, says autumn is a great time to update the home. Sarah Latham, founder and creative director of Etons of Bath on Walcot Street, agrees and says our houses should be treated as havens, and whether you’re just dressing the bed with a new throw or investing in another accent colour for your accessories, it can all help you feel that your home delivers what you need for the season. Vanessa Sayce, owner of The Marmalade House on Bartlett Street, says most of her clients focus on their home post-summer when the children are back at school, and the time comes to embrace family evenings spent in beautified surroundings. The great thing about Bath is that there are so many independent homeware shops, interior designers and helpful workshops to get you started. Next month, there’s even an exciting collection of exclusive events with interiors professionals across the city, running from 23 –27 October. Bath BID businesses – including the likes of Timber Treasures, Anthropologie, Rossiters of Bath, and Pug & Puffin – will open their doors and host a series of celebrations and offers at their premises.

Here, we ask 11 design professionals what’s ‘in’ and ‘out’ for autumn…

INSPIRATION

From mid-century nostalgia to Pantone bravery, here’s what’s influencing designers around the city… Having freshly returned from Maison et Objet – Europe’s largest design show – in Paris, where he was busy sourcing beautiful items for current projects, John Law says there was plenty to inspire. “We love the work of Lee Broom, the British lighting designer, as he combines a mid-century aesthetic that’s bang up-to-date with interesting combinations of materials and shapes,” he says. “He designs everything from cool decanter chandeliers to slightly off-kilter globe lamps, tube lights milled from marble, and more.” Meanwhile, Clair Strong, of Clair Strong Interior Design on Walcot Street, is discovering inspiration within Pantone’s fashion colours for autumn. “They’re bright, daring and sophisticated, and this translates well to interior design,” she says. “Bold, brave hues are taking over pastels, and we’re seeing a mixture of colours everywhere – even in furniture; matching sets have officially had their heyday. The time for experimentation has arrived.” Vanessa at The Marmalade House agrees that colour really is everything in the AW17 home. She finds herself hugely inspired by Tricia Guild’s continuously inventive way of using colour, and by Annie Sloan and her range of Chalk Paints and fabrics. “As an interior designer, this is my favourite time of year to be inspired by w

SUMPTUOUS

TEXTURES, PLUMP BERRY TONES AND THE ODD FUR IN FRONT OF A

CRACKLING FIRE. VERY GAME OF

THRONES

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 65

INTERIORS SPECIAL

Below: Ben Argent of Ben Argent Kitchens says there is a real trend for honesty to materials right now; right: Mind the Gap’s tropical wallpapers – available locally at Woodhouse & Law – encapsulate the botanical look of the moment

the richness of the season and the wintry months ahead,” she says. “Bold hues and rich tones and texture are everywhere, and by making just a few minimal changes, you can achieve this on-trend look.”

LIVING ROOM

It’s one of the rooms your guests see most, so show it off… IN: Game of Thrones Catriona Archer, of Bath-based Catriona Archer Interior Styling, says the fantasy drama of the moment has a lot to answer for. “With the nights closing in, who can resist the temptation of a good box set, sumptuous textures, plump berry tones and the odd fur thrown in for good measure in front of a crackling fire? Very Game of Thrones.

BOTANICALS AND NATURAL MATERIALS ARE BEING CELEBRATED WITHIN THE HOME

IN: Warmth Matthew Weaver, the director at Tile & Flooring on London Road, says, as the seasons change, homeowners’ palettes tend to follow suit. “As autumn unfolds and winter approaches, gone are the requests for pale and subtle colder tones,” he says. “Our customers invariably get drawn to earthier and much warmer hues.” But ‘warm’ doesn’t necessarily mean oranges and reds, it can be less literal than that, as Clair Strong explains, “I think inky blues and greens – from teal and emerald, to navy – are perfect for making interiors feel snug during the chillier months. Add natural materials like linen, cotton and wool for a soft and cosy look.” 66 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

IN: Botanicals Catriona Archer says going green has never been so prevalent than during this season, with botanicals and natural materials being celebrated within the home. “Deep greens and inky blacks are key, and can be interpreted in several ways to suit your personal style,” she says. “Strong indoor planting sits well within the lighter, more Scandinavian spaces we have grown to love. It marks our inherent appreciation for natural materials such as marble, refined wood, earthenware pottery, and woven and wicker crafts. A dash of gold or brushed brass against a monotone geometric backdrop gives it an altogether more modern feel.” OUT: Neutrals “We favour confident colour,” says Sue Jones, the co-founder of OKA, a luxury British homeware brand on Milsom Street. “Bold needn’t be garish; used wisely, it’s dramatic and inviting – a contrast to today’s ubiquitous neutrals.”

KITCHEN

As the season changes, so too does our focus within the home. Autumn sees a shift from the garden to the kitchen, the ‘hub’ of the home… IN: Honest materials “We have seen some beautiful examples of aged herringbone parquet wood flooring at Boniti near Bath,” says Ben Argent of Ben Argent Kitchens in Bath. “This type of flooring would have real impact when juxtaposed against a sleek contemporary w

COME AND MEET Frederick Augustus the cat..............at

OLD BANK ANTIQUES CENTRE 16-17 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath BA1 6AD

Tel. 01225 338813

The largest antiques retailer in Bath

& voted in the top 50 antiques shops in Britain, by the Independent on Sunday

No, he’s not stuffed... Maybe even find time to look at some antiques... we’ve got everything from 17th century furniture to 1970s retro and kitchenalia, spread through lots of showrooms. We’re on the A4, London Road, near Morrisons. About 15 minutes walk from the bottom of Walcot Street.

We’re open 10-6 Monday to Saturday. 11-5 on Sunday. We have our own parking at the rear, accessed via Bedford Street.

alexatmontague@aol.com / www.oldbankantiquescentre.com

Soft furnishings, such as these cushions, throws and lampshades from OKA, are a simple way to give your interior a fresh look

kitchen design. There is a real trend for honesty to materials right now, too. Whenever working with wood, we use natural oils with a hint of whitening pigment to maintain raw, natural-looking timber. This can be combined with a rough, sawn textured finish to enhance the natural surface grain.” IN: Smoky tones Ben adds that soft greys can make for an incredibly versatile palette, but he strongly advises to keep more permanent elements, such as kitchen units, fairly neutral (Neolith porcelain is popular at the moment). “Accent colours can be achieved using accessories and ornaments to help liven the space and create that individual, homely environment,” he says. “Coppers and metallics such as smoked bronze are particularly popular at the moment.” OUT: Travertine stone Matthew at Tile & Flooring says travertine stone – a natural surface with warm, brown clouds – has fallen out of favour due to its variable quality and random consistency of colour. “Its over-usage has the potential to pre-date an interior, and we are replacing more travertine than any other natural stone material,” he says.

SETS OF PRINTS, EN MASSE, CREATE A STRIKING

OUT: Matching Matching sheets are a no-no this season. Instead, mix it up. “Bed time can be colourful,” says Vanessa Sayce. “Don’t just buy a duvet set, but layer up your bed in linens, throws and bedspreads for a more rustic, homely feel. Once you start, you’ll soon realise that your room can take on a whole new personality, just by making a few simple, subtle changes.” Caroline Kontos, designer at No Twelve Queen Street – where the focus is on a mixture of traditional and contemporary interiors – in Bath, adds that furniture sets are out too. She suggests to mix and match to make your space more personal. “With one third of our lives spent in the bedroom, people are demanding more interesting bedding,” she says. “The days of the white coverlet, shams and duvet seem to be over. Expect to see soft colours, luxurious fabrics and bedrooms that shout intimacy and comfort.”

EFFECT

BEDROOM

The most private and personal room in a home should be as wild and wonderful or as calm and collected as you like… IN: Black Black may not be the obvious colour choice for a bedroom, but 68 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Vanessa at The Marmalade House says that if you team a dark wall with light accessories and furniture, it can be striking rather than drab. “The use of washed mango wood, paired with muted coloured linens is ever-increasing,” she says. “Set these against dark charcoal greys and even black, and the darker walls will bring out the beauty of the washed-out texture of the wood. “Beautiful inky blues are my favourite, though,” she adds. “When teamed with aged brass and candlelight, you have a classical, strong interior perfect for wintry nights ahead. It’s definitely all about drama this season.” Sue at OKA agrees, but warns there’s a fine line between drama and dreariness. “You have to be careful that it doesn’t become too gloomy,” she says. “Another important theme for this season is the use of multiple items, such as sets of prints, en masse as it creates a much more striking effect.”

INTERIORS SPECIAL ACCESSORIES

Because what makes a room more personal than adornments? IN: Metallics Sarah Latham of Etons of Bath – a classically inspired interior design company – says brass and gold accessories, combined with a deep, dark colourway is her favourite trend for autumn. Layering pattern, texture and strong, bold lighting works incredibly well in her opinion. And John Law rates the use of gold and bronzes as he believes they add great depth and interest to schemes. “Along with metallics, the use of interesting textures and patterns really opens up the possibilities for us as designers and enables us to be really creative,” he says. “We love to create something unique for our clients, and unusual materials really help us achieve this.” IN: Lighting One of the most important elements in any room design – particularly the kitchen – is lighting, according to Ben Argent. “This can often be overlooked,” he says. “But it shouldn’t be, as it ultimately sets the ambience and atmosphere for the whole room.” Sue at OKA adds that now is the perfect time of year to make a feature of lighting. “A beautiful lamp – whether sculptural, architectural or organic in form – will add interest and depth to your scheme, even when it’s switched off. Autumn’s shorter, darker days encourage cocooning, so you want your interiors to be cosy and comfortable to carry you through the winter.”

IN: Velvet As far as Caroline at No Twelve Queen Street is concerned, soothing and relaxed spaces are all that matters in the colder months, and what better material to suit that vibe than velvet? “The luxurious feel of velvet cushions together with rough, natural textures (like reclaimed wood, woven baskets, smooth metals and ceramics) gives a great mixture of tactile and visually interesting accessories,” she says. IN: Layering “I love the trend for natural textures in fabrics,” says Kate Howard, the owner of Vesta Design in Staverton. “Layering texture is a great way to create a welcoming scheme – think linens, velvets, wools, furs and sheepskins. Mark Alexander has a fantastic range of natural weave fabrics in beautiful, subtle colours and they produce some lovely trims too.” Soft furnishings such as cushions, throws, kelims and lampshades are a simple way to give your interior a fresh look for the season reckons Sue at OKA. She advises that a good general rule is to go for pale, neutral hues such as off-white and cream in spring and summer and then change to richer, darker colours as soon as autumn arrives. OUT: Copper The trend for copper accessories has run its course as far as Kate at Vesta Design sees it. She says the market has been flooded with these in recent years and they are beginning to look dated. “There w

At Ripples, blues and pastels are making their mark

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I xx

INTERIORS SPECIAL

Contemporary monochrome is a hit at Ripples

is now a lean towards brass as a metal finish, as seen on some of the new furniture designs by Alter London – for example, their Rosmead occasional chair and Linden bar stool,” she says.

BATHROOM

The feeling that you have when stepping into a perfectly designed hotel bathroom is exactly what you should be left with when seeing your own, according to Kim Marcer, the owner of award-winning bathroom retailer Ripples Bath on London Road… IN: Urban Industrial Think clean lines, unusual materials and special finishes and you are half way to the urban look already, suggests Kim Marcer. “Concrete in particular is having a real moment,” she says. “It might be an unexpected trend, but in the right setting with the perfect products, it can be a serious show-stopper, as can brushed stainless steel.” IN: Pastel power It’s time to rethink pink, according to Kim. Blush is set to be the hottest new trend; it’s about sophisticated, soft and delicate shades that complement any area of the home. “If you think pink is not for you, then it’s time to think again,” she says. “This season, beautiful blues are also set to make their mark, too. It’s a fresh and relaxing tone, that when mixed with simple textures and bright whites, will completely lift any bathroom.”

IN: Wallpaper “We have seen wallpaper make a steady return over the last few seasons, and it is still in full force,” says Catriona Archer. “Waterresistant wallpaper in the shower, anyone? From soft textures found in nature and pretty chinoiserie blooms through to bold geometrics and strong botanicals, the choice is there for the picking.” OUT: Going OTT Although trends are there to be inspired by, Kim at Ripples advises not to get too caught up in them, “It’s our job to create timeless bathrooms that stand the test of time. If a client loves a particular finish, for example copper, we would perhaps look to add this in small accents, but nothing more.”

COLOUR

There is no need to be restricted to a traditional autumnal colour palette. The new season offers the chance to be playful with strong hues and explore the effect of countless shades… IN: Earthiness John at Woodhouse & Law is seeing a shift towards earthier tones such as umber, ochre, caramel and browns. These are all offset well with forest greens, dusky pinks, deep blues and teals. “The move towards golds and bronzes, which sit wonderfully with this scheme, is also evident,” he says. “The latest fabric collections feature much more pattern, from interesting ikat- w www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 71

INTERIORS SPECIAL inspired weaves to greater adornment of fabric with embroidery and opulent velvets across the colour spectrum. We’re also seeing a much greater use of trimmings, especially fringing, which is featured on Art Deco-style sofas and chairs.” Caroline at No Twelve adds that rich shades of blush, browns and greens are on her agenda, and, for Kate at Vesta Design, burnt orange is a favourite for this time of year, “It’s reminiscent of autumnal leaves and is also perfect to create a cosy feel as the days get shorter.” The same is true for Sarah at Etons of Bath, who thinks the deep shade pairs well with taupe or gold, particularly in dining and drawing rooms where you want to feel a luxurious richness.

afraid of the dark, “I am very much inspired by the Dutch master painters of old, with their moody mix of darker textures, eclectic prints and blousy blooms. Earthy backdrops of blacks, greens, terracotta, teal and burgundy are lifted with flashes of jewel tones such as rich yellow, vivid greens and the softest peach or pinks. Accent lighting and reflective materials such as gold, glass, and fisheye mirrors give this an altogether sophisticated feel. Add sumptuous cushions or seating to complete the look.”

THERE IS NO NEED TO BE

RESTRICTED TO A TRADITIONAL

OUT: Grey Grey has dominated interior design schemes for years, but there’s been a shift this season, reckons John Law. “Cooler colours are being replaced with hot hues,” he says. “With that, the pared-down, rustic or industrial aesthetic is giving way to a glamorous, luxurious feel.” Sarah Latham agrees that grey has been overused, but there’s no need to get rid of everything you own that’s grey; instead, mix it in with distinct colours and don’t make it the lead on the scheme.

AUTUMNAL COLOUR PALETTE

IN: Jewel tones “We have introduced the Guillare cushion cover range – stylish striped velvet in jewel tones – to our range,” says Sue at OKA. “It’s fun playing with fearless colours, fabrics and statement furniture. But avoid design bedlam by applying certain rules: for each room, restrict your colour palette and choose several super-size pieces of furniture, mirrors or lamps to focus the eye.” Catriona Archer agrees with this, adding that no one should be

THE DO-OVER

Surely no one’s got the time to redecorate every season. You don’t need an overhaul every time, just some carefully-edited additions… IN: Cushions John Law suggests that soft furnishings and key accessories in seasonal colours can quickly update a room scheme, without a huge impact on your time. And Kate at Vesta Design agrees to bring in the trends in the smaller items such as cushions, which can be changed with minimal expense when you would like to update your look. IN: Refinishing “You can have metals refinished or replated,” says Sarah Latham. “It isn’t necessarily cheaper than replacing, though. My tip is to repurpose in less public parts of the house and invest in updates for the areas that are more on show.” The Marmalade House specialises in rejuvenating old furniture by painting it for a complete transformation. “We work with all sorts of ages and styles of furniture,” says Vanessa Sayce. “And using a soft, chalky palette, we can make furniture beautiful again. We also specialise in gilding, crackle-glazing and many other finishes that enable us to cover copper that’s no longer popular, or highlight furniture in gilding waxes to bring out subtle areas of aged brass or dark silver. We can teach you how to do all this for yourself in our full-day workshops, too.”

Accessorise timeless backdrops with pops of colour – as interior stylist Catriona Archer has done here – for a look that can be easily adapted to the changing seasons

72 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

OUT: For-the-sake-of-it buying “What influences a change in style is never entirely clear, but we’d say people want to live in a place that they love, regardless of what might be in style,” says Caroline at No Twelve. “That love has to include pieces and colours that mean something to them – items that create a feeling of warmth when they go home, and are an antidote to all those hours spent in a workplace.”

Bathrooms at

No.

your local Villeroy & Boch studio Now open | 12a Trim Street, Bath BA1 1HB | 01225 308060 5 The Shambles, Bradford on Avon BA15 1JS | 01225 309110 | www.bathroomsatno5.co.uk

“I just wanted to say thank you so much. Our kitchen is the cherry on the cake and it’s been an absolute pleasure from start to finish”

Kelly-Marie Hicks,designer/project manager of Homemaker Bath has been designing beautiful traditional and modern German-made kitchens for over 12 years..... Whilst the Germans tend to be known for the modern kitchen, they also offer a luxury range of painted shaker woods. This country cottage kitchen is Kelly’s own kitchen and she demonstrates how smaller kitchen spaces can be utilized effectively with intelligent use of space. Whether its a small cottage or big modern extension, using her experience and knowledge of the all the latest kitchen products, she can transform any space into your dream kitchen. Kelly’s attention to detail mixed with her enthusiastic and fun personality makes the experience second to none. She has a huge portfolio along with many thank-you cards as she has built a great reputation in Bath and surrounding areas. If you are looking for a dream kitchen, call Kelly now.

Proud Finalists of 8 Pulteney Terrace, Bath BA2 4HJ t 01225 481 881 e homemakerdesign@btconnect.com

he Framing Workshop has been trading as an independent family run business on Walcot Street for over 28 years. We treasure you, our client, and spend time helping you to find the best way to display and protect your cherished objects, artworks and memorabilia. Creativity and respect for each artwork are core to what we do. Every picture tells a story. Come and share yours.

80 WALCOT STREET, BATH BA1 5BD TEL : 01225 482748 www.theframingworkshop.com framing@theframingworkshop.com

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E B AT H R O O M S

LIE BACK AND RELAX Expert installation and state-of-the-art design awaits at BATHROOMS AT NO.5

hen it comes to bathroom innovation, quality and stunning design, Bathrooms at No 5 offers all you could possibly need all under two roofs. “Two roofs?" I hear you ask. Yes, the nine-year success of the boutiquestyle showroom in Bradford on Avon has enabled the expansion of a second showroom, at 12a Trim Street, in the heart of our very own city. Working closely with market leaders Villeroy & Boch, this new state-of-the-art showroom is now open in Bath. This expansion enables this family-owned design-led company to showcase the newest innovations in quality bathrooms, wet rooms and cloakrooms. Once you have settled on your project design their expert in-house installation teams will ensure it is installed with minimum fuss, yet with maximum care and expertise. This ‘go-to’ venue enables you to experience the very latest from Bathrooms at No 5's partners Villeroy & Boch, GSI, Arysto by Merlyn,

Keuco, Smedbo, Geberit AquaClean, JIS, Imperial Bathrooms and Vanity Hall. The new showroom showcases even more fantastic designs and bathroom options, and extends the company's ability to offer beautiful bathrooms to residents of Bath and the surrounding area, while continuing to offer their already renowned levels of service to the great and the good of Wiltshire.

Bathrooms at

No.

12a Trim Street, Bath BA1 1HB 01225 308060 5 The Shambles, Bradford on Avon BA15 1JS; 01225 309110 www.bathroomsatno5.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 83

Raise your bathroom specification with brands you can rely on CONTACT US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE CONSULTATION

At Keystone Contracts we work with property developers, architects, quantity surveyors, contractors and designers at any stage of the build program. We guarantee to deliver the best specification for your budget. Unit 1 Oldland Business Units, 33 Barry Road, Oldland Common, Bristol, BS30 6QX 0845 2996422 | www.keystonecontracts.co.uk | sales@keystonecontracts.co.uk

SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY INTO YOUR HOME Functional and discrete to suit your property, lifestyle, design and budget whether one room or many. Ceiling Speakers, Sonos, Surround Sound, TVs, troubleshooting for your IT, Home office assistance and set up, Wireless solutions, Security, Door Entry, Remotes.

We offer advice and technology reviews, trouble shooting, installation and support.

SB Professional Services Wiltshire, BA13 Tel: 01373 858528 Email: melissa@simonbasford.com Website: www.simonbasford.comÂ

Smart Living

with the new system.

Control your blinds from the comfort of your sofa or draw the curtains from your phone when you are on the go. Enjoy an easier life with the SomfyÂŽ TaHomaÂŽ remote home automation system. Visit our Showroom to find out more and book your FREE site survey. 01225 469 559 info@aspectwindowstyling.co.uk www.aspectwindowstyling.co.uk or visit our showroom 1 Saracen Street, Bath, BA2 5BR

1 2

1. REFLECT ON IT

2. REST ASSURED

3. LIGHTHOUSE

4. TRUE COLOURS

5. TEA AMO

Sunburst mirror, £69.95 Handcrafted by artisans, this rust-coloured statement mirror will bring character to any room From Homefront Interiors, 10 Margaret’s Buildings, Bath; www.homefrontinteriors. co.uk

Bodice Rocker chair, £8,250 With a light touch, this sculptural, levitating chaise longue gently rocks and pauses in mid-air, as if utterly weightless From SplinterWorks, 18 Queen Square, Bath; www.splinterworks.co.uk

Candleholder, £24.95 From Danish brand Raeder comes this candleholder which emits a pretty glow through its windows From Blue Women and Home at The Loft, 1 – 2 Bartlett Street, Bath; www.theloftbath.com

Aubusson Blue Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, £18.95 per litre The cabinet’s not for sale, but the colour of it is. The Marmalade House also offers courses on how to paint, too From The Marmalade House, The Loft, 1 – 2 Bartlett Street, Bath; www.themarmaladehouse. co.uk

Crésus Low cup, £80 A gold rim makes this handmade Astier de Villatte cup all the more decadent. On its own or as part of a larger set, this makes a sophisticated statement in the home From nam, 22c New Bond Street, Bath

94 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

ED’S CHOICE

SHOPPING

LIVE IT UP

HOME ACCESSORIES TO TREAT YOURSELF TO, JUST BECAUSE IT’S THE NEW SEASON…

9 10

6. SHAPE UP

7. EWE ARE MAKING ME

8. STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN

9. AHEAD OF THE CURVE

10. COMFORT ZONE

Kaleido trays, from £13 each With various colours and geometric shapes, these trays work as a functional puzzle. Build a wacky design to your liking and select its function From Hay, 36 – 38 Milsom Street, Bath; www.madeindesign.co.uk

BLUSH

Ruark Audio R7, £2,300 Due to be launched end of October, this audio/visual system is the radiogram redefined and will satisfy music lovers and design aficionados alike From Moss of Bath, 45 St James’ Parade, Bath; www.mossofbath.co.uk

Shell chair, £2,238 Designed by Hans Wegner in 1963, this bold and different avant-garde lounge chair divided opinion back in the day, but it’s since won awards From Shannon Furniture, 68 Walcot Street, Bath; www.shannon-uk.com

Ombre cushion, from £45 Designed by recent Bath Spa University graduate Antonia Bates, this colourgradient cushion comes in small, large and long From Resident, 94 – 96 Walcot Street, Bath; www.residentstore.co.uk

Sheepskin, £65 Super soft and in the sugary shade of the moment, this blush pink sheepskin is the ultimate luxury for bedrooms From Graham and Green, 92 Walcot Street, Bath; www.grahamandgreen. co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE LIFE II 95 www.mediaclash.co.uk I CLIFTON 95

The Flying Pig Renovation Company UNIT 2, LOCKSBROOK WORKS, LOCKSBROOK ROAD, BATH BA1 3EN

PROPERTY RENOVATION

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

INTERIOR DESIGN

Tel 01225 420370 Email andy@flyingpiginbath.co.uk www.flyingpiginbath.co.uk

WAINSCOT INTERIORS Makers of Handcrafted Architectural Joinery and Interiors

THE BEAUTY OF WOOD THROUGH TRADITIONAL SKILLS

www.wainscotinteriors.co.uk

info@wainscotinteriors.co.uk

01458 272633

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E A R C H I T E C T S

INTERIORS AND ARCHITECTS SRA ARCHITECTS explain why they’re interested in what happens on the inside

rchitects fundamentally design buildings for the benefit of the people inside them. Many people believe architects work on the outside of the building – they design and visualise how a building fits together – how water is going to be kept out, light and air to be let in. However, interior design is a big part of what we think about. In a commercial space, we work with our clients at every stage to ensure often complex needs are taken into consideration. The nature of commercial buildings means internal spaces have to be accurate and fit for purpose.

THE FIT-OUT

The fit-out happens simultaneously with the external design and construction of the building. Once there is running water and power to the building, the fit-out contractor starts to install equipment and facilities based on the client’s brief, branding requirements and needs of their

business. Bespoke designs are used, with great attention to what is specifically of the upmost importance to make the space function for them and then, after that, what are ‘nice to haves.’ Part of an architect’s responsibility as part of this, is to take the client’s vision and turn it into a functioning space. We work to listen and refine our understanding of the client’s needs, and take experience from other projects to expand upon their concept further.

It’s also important to consider the occupant’s wellbeing in the space – especially if we’re designing a fit-out for an office space. In workplace design, we have to be mindful of the needs of the occupants.

COMPLETING A PROJECT

As a project comes to an end, our work doesn’t stop, and we ensure that the client’s concept is being brought through during the final stages. Our responsibility is to ensure a high quality finish – from the point of view of designing an interior, we want the spaces we design to enhance people’s wellbeing when they’re in it, and it is important to us to integrate this philosophy into our designs.

Queen Square House, Charlotte Street, Bath BA1 2LL; 01225 827444 www.sra-architects.co.uk

contemporary kitchen spaces

emersonliving

Kitchen design studio in Bath, call for viewing appointments

01225 571943

www.emersonliving.co.uk

your space, your way.

Bath’s leading marble and granite company for over 30 years

Showroom open 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday and Saturday 9am - 12.30pm Tel: 01761 412934 info@hobbsmarbleandgranite.co.uk • www.hobbsmarbleandgranite.co.uk Kitchen worktops • Bathrooms • Fireplaces • Bespoke templating and ﬁtting service • Memorials

H E AT I N G S E R V I C E S A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

GET IT COVERED Leading heating and plumbing company, JOHN WILLIAMS HEATING SERVICES, launches oil care plans for Bath homeowners

xcellent customer service is at the heart of successful local company John Williams Heating Services, which serves residents and businesses across Bath and the surrounding area. Recently the company has responded to the challenges often faced by homeowners who rely on oil for their heating – by launching oil care plans. Debbie Williams, co-founder of the company, says, “Looking after an oil-based heating system brings its own challenges and when things go wrong – as with any heating system – there can be large repair bills. We’ve been interested in offering oil care plans for some time, and are now proud to say we can offer a range of affordable plans to our domestic customers.” The plans start from £10.50 a month and range from an annual service plan, to heating care, boiler care, right through to a total care plan. Customers sign up for 12 months on direct debit, and get a range of services under each package.

These can include looking after domestic oil boilers, new-for-old parts, discounted labour rates, preferential attention on jobs not covered by the plan, no limits to the number of call outs and free parts and labour on all boilers, systems and controls that are covered up to an agreed limit. There are terms and conditions which can be seen by visiting the company website, or calling the office for an informal conversation. John says, “We hope these plans will give our current and future customers real peace of mind when it comes to their heating system. They know they will receive prompt and excellent service to keep their oil-based system working well, and problems can be resolved quickly. As autumn turns to winter this is very important.” John Williams Heating Services offers comprehensive support for both residents and businesses, including boiler installations, servicing, underfloor heating, bathroom installations, plumbing and Aga and Rayburn servicing and repairs. The company is also a

member of CheckATrade.com, is a Worcester accredited installer and is a member of Oftec, the trade association monitoring best practice in oil heating installation and repair.

Bumper’s Farm Industrial Estate Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 6LH www.jwheating.co.uk 01249 709024

T H E C U R TA I N E X C H A N G E For the best dressed windows

IN BATH

11 Widcombe Parade, Bath, BA2 4JT | Tel: 01225 422078 | Email: curtainexchange@live.co.uk www.curtainexchangebath.co.uk

Original Furniture. Ar t. Homewares. Events.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;TEXTURESâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Wednesday 4 October 6-9pm Join us for our Autumn event featuring new work by Agnes Pollock and new ranges by local makers. Be inspired by their stories and enjoy a glass of fizz whilst browsing their work and our new A/W collections.

15 Walcot Buildings. London Rd. BA1 6AD

Westside Design Bespoke Kitchen Makers Since 1983 Lansdown Road, Bath BA1 5EQ info@westsidedesign.co.uk

Free parking opposite and in Weymouth Street

Book at: ver veliving.uk/events 07785 332536 | 07712 467347

craftsmanship means F OCU S ING ON F INE DETAIL S AND TA K ING THE TI M E TO M A K E EVER Y J OB OUT S TANDING

See Check a Trader and Google Review f o r 5  r at i n g s Opening times M o n d ay – F r i d ay 8.00am – 5.00pm S at u r d ay 9.00am – 12.30pm |

Marble Supreme T: 0117 956 3030

U n i t 8 B r i d g e Roa d

K i n g s w o o d | B r i s to l | B S 1 5 4 F W | w w w. m a r b l e s u p r e m e . c o m

e: info@marblesupreme.com

J Smith Woodwork Ltd Staffords Green, Corton Denham, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4LY 01963 220147 | 07773 701812 | jamie@jsmithwoodwork.co.uk jsmithwoodwork.co.uk

WWW.PETEHELME.CO.UK TEL: +(44) 07789 211 424 HELLO@PETEHELME.CO.UK

ARCHITECTS INTERIOR DESIGNERS HOTELS BARS RESTAURANTS

PETE HELME PHOTOGRAPHY INTERIOR & ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHER

BATH BRISTOL LONDON

PROPERTY DEVELOPERS KITCHEN DESIGNERS SHOWROOMS OFFICE SPACES PROPERTY AGENTS

Experts in restoration and renovations

Get cosy in time for Christmas

Suppliers of contemporary and traditional wood, gas and electric stoves,fromleadingmanufacturers.Over100ondisplay,manyworking andinfireplacesettings.Stovesparesandglass,accessories,baskets, patio heaters, outdoorfires, flues, chimneys and cleaning equipment available. Extensive product and installation knowledge and a showroom in a country setting. Castle Farm, Marshfield, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 8HU Our showroom is 4 miles from junction 18 off the M4, between Bristol, Bath and Chippenham | 01225 891469 www.knight-stoves.co.uk | enquiries@knight-stoves.co.uk

COMPLETELY RESTORE YOUR CAST IRON OR PRESSED STEEL BATH TO ITS FORMER GLORY Cost Effective bath restoration & renovation RESURFACING We are able to completely resurface metal baths SCratCh & abraSion rEpairS on acrylic baths & shower trays CHEMICAL CLEANING remove lime scale from the top surface of your bath, basin or WC 18 YEARS EXPERIENCE, COVERS THE SOUTH WEST

Corinium Bath Renovations 01285 658615 Cirencester info@coriniumbathrenovations.co.uk www.coriniumbathrenovations.co.uk

ANTIQUE AND MODERN CARPETS BOUGHT, SOLD REPAIRED AND CLEANED 25 YEARS IN BATH LARGEST SELECTION IN THE SOUTH WEST

9 8 W A L C OT S T R E E T, B AT H B A 1 5 B G T E L 0 1 2 2 5 4 6 9 2 4 0 E M A I L C O N TA C T @ H A L I D E N . C O M W W W. H A L I D E N . CO M

Specialists in Natural Stone Paving and More

Flagstones, Cobbles, Copings and Setts Sandstone, Limestone, Granite Slate And Travertine ß Internal of External ß Civil or Domestic ß Free Delivery ß Open 6 Days a Week ß Helpful Advice ß Large Selection of Stock

End Of Season Deals, Now Available

Tel: 01275 333589 or 07872 665602 Or Email sales@mietystone.co.uk Website: www.mietystone.co.uk

Miety Stone Limited Hillmans Transport Depot, Chelwood Bridge, Chelwood, Bristol, BS39 4NJ

10 York Street, Bath BA1 1NH | 01225 447920 | leatherchairs.co.uk

Closed Mon & Thurs. Open Tues, Weds & Fri, Sat, 10.00 - 4.00

Curtains • Blinds • Cushions • Teepees • Interior Design

+44 (0) 7446 983 383 laura@lauracampbelldesigns.com www.lauracampbelldesigns.com a @lauracampbelldesigns

INTERIORS SPECIAL

DIRECTORY

Our local businesses are poised and ready to help with all your home needs for autumn

Architects, builders and construction Aqua Fortis 01225 285 500 www.roofersbath.com Roofing solutions Bath Stonemasons 07968 697091 www.bathstonemasons.co.uk Experts when it comes to natural stone and restoration Batterham Smiths Architects 1 Tollbridge Studios, Tollbridge Road, Bath; 01225 851122 www.batterhamsmiths.co.uk Architects and surveyors with a focus on using natural light and environmental thinking in their design Casa Architects Toll Bridge Road, Bath; 01225 851871; www.casa-architects.co.uk Established Bath-based practice combining original contemporary design with sustainable principles

renovate client-owned housing to an exceptional standard, offering innovative design, bespoke craftsmanship and a commitment to using only the best materials Hawker Joinery North End, Batheaston, Bath 01225 858233 www.hawker-joinery.co.uk The oldest established joinery business in Bath, with a reputation for quality service and workmanship. Specialising in doors, interiors and cabinetry Hetreed Ross Toll Bridge Road, Bath 01225 851860 www.hetreedross.com Award-winning architects providing a complete range of services including domestic interior design High Standards 01749 939347 www.highstandardsuk.com Driveways, patios, paving and landscape services

DR Vowles and Son Upper Weston Farm, Weston, Bath 01225 425232 www.drvowlesandson.co.uk Builders and roofing repairs

John Williams Heating Services 01249 709024 www.jwheating.co.uk Heating and boiler installations and repair

Esmond Murray Architects 21 Van Diemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lane, Bath; 01225 447165; www.esmondmurrayarchitects. com Award-winning Chartered RIBA Practice formed in 1991 with a new approach to private client residential design bringing together architecture, interior design, landscape architecture and project management

McIntosh DBR Commerce Park, Southgate, Frome; 01373 752700 www.mcintoshdbr.co.uk Experts in bespoke luxury builds and restoration projects

The Flying Pig Renovation Company Ashley House, 4 Gloucester Road 01225 420370 www.flyingpiginbath.co.uk The business refurbish and

Norton Masonry 38 Long Barnaby, Midsomer Norton, Radstock; 01761 419422 www.nortonmasonryltd.co.uk Stonework specialists and general builders

Nook of Bath 07733 102671 www.nookofbath.co.uk High quality property management services

112 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Rock Pools and Spas 86 Westbury Leigh, Westbury 0333 6009001 www.rockpoolsandspas.co.uk Design and servicing of spas and hot tubs SKD Lofts 07976 200956 www.skdlofts.co.uk Loft conversion specialists

Bathrooms Corinium Bath Renovations 56 Berry Hill Crescent, Cirencester; 01285 658615; www.coriniumbathrenovations. co.uk Original bath restoration and renovation

SRA Architects Queen Square House, Charlotte Street, Bath; 01225 827444 www.sra-architects.co.uk Award-winning architectural practice

Bathrooms at No 5 12a Trim Street, Bath 5 The Shambles, Bradford on Avon; 01225 309110 www.bathbathrooms.com Specialists in the supply of bathrooms in Bath and the surrounding areas

Western Building Consultants 2 Rush Hill, Bath 01225 789307 www.westernbuildingconsultants. co.uk Chartered building surveyors and architectural technologists

Keystone Contracts Unit 1 Oldland Business Units, 33 Bary Road, Oldland Column, Bristol; 0845 2996422 www.keystonecontracts.co.uk High-end bathroom designer and contractor with wealth

A classically inspired design by Etons of Bath

of experience working with architects and interior designers

Fireplaces and Woodburners

Ripples Chelsea House, London Road, Bath; 01225 447971 www.ripples.ltd.uk Ripples has been creating award-winning luxury designer bathrooms for 24 years

Mendip Fireplaces The Old Mill, Mill Lane, Monkton Combe, Bath; 01225 722706 www.mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk Fireplace, stove and chimney specialists with an extensive range of open fires, wood-burning and gas stoves, cookers and fire surrounds

Courses and workshops The Marmalade House The Loft, 1-2 Bartlett Street, Bath; 01225 445855 www.themarmaladehouse.co.uk Learn how to paint furniture at their popular Annie Sloan courses

Curtains, blinds, shutters and soft furnishings Aspect Window Styling 1 Saracen Street, Bath; 01225 469559 www.aspectwindowstyling.co.uk Blinds, shutters, awnings, curtains, poles and accessories The Curtain Exchange 11 Widcombe Parade, Bath 01225 422078 www.thecurtainexchange.co.uk A wide range of bespoke and ready-made curtains and blinds Laura Campbell Designs 07446 983383 www.lauracampbelldesigns.com Curtains, Roman blinds, cushions and bespoke tepees Shutter Frontier 01666 238080 www.shutterfrontier.co.uk Made-to-measure interior wooden shutters in a wide range of timbers and colours

Rudloe Stoneworks Leafield Stoneyard, Potley Lane, Corsham; 01225 816400 www.rudloe-stone.com Supply and install wood-burning stoves, electric/gas fires and Bath stone fireplaces RW Knight & Son Castle Farm, Marshfield, Chippenham SN14 8HU 01225 891469 www.knight-stoves.co.uk Country showroom stocking wood-burning and multi-fuel stoves, plus flues and accessories

Flooring and carpets Bath Contract Flooring 4 Kingsmead Square, Bath 01225 471888 www.bathcontractflooring.co.uk Specialists in flooring Boniti Dunsdon Road, West Littleton Road, Chippenham 01225 89200 www.boniti.com Stone flooring, bespoke furniture, custom kitchens Broadleaf Timber 134-136 Walcot Street, Bath

Introducing new accessories â&#x20AC;&#x201C; such as these from Woodhouse & Law â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is an easy way to give your home a new look for autumn

01225 463464 www.broadleaftimber.com Solid wooden floors, plank and parquet, oak flooring, made-tomeasure internal and external oak doors, staircases and joinery Capitol Carpets of Bath 120-122 Walcot Street, Bath 01225 333341; www.thecarpet.co.uk A range of affordable carpet and stone flooring Frith Rugs Unit 10, Shield Retail Park, Filton, Bristol 01745 584404 www.frithrugs.co.uk Largest selection of Oriental carpets and rugs in the UK

01225 483818; www.interiorharmony.co.uk Specialists for vinyl, carpet and hardwood flooring, floor sanding and wood floor renovation Mandarin Stone 01225 460033 15-16 Broad Street, Bath www.mandarinstone.com Central Bath showroom for natural stone tiles, flooring and stone bathware Miety Stone Hillmans Transport Depot Bridge, Chelwood, Bristol 01275 333589; www.mietystone.co.uk Stone paving

Haliden Oriental Carpets 98 Walcot Street, Bath; 01225 469240; www.haliden.com Antique oriental carpets, Persian rugs, tribal weavings and antique turkmen carpets

Oriental Rugs of Bath 1 Hallatrow Business Park, Wells Road, Hallatrow; 01761 451764 www.orientalrugsofbath.com Rugs, kilims and various pieces of furniture

Interior Harmony Flooring 5A Chelsea Road, Bath;

Tile & Flooring Bath 1 Mile End, London Road West,

INTERIORS SPECIAL Bath; 01225 310561 www.tileandflooring.co.uk Traditional family-run business specialising in the supply, installation and restoration of wooden flooring from a selection of hundreds of different styles and materials

Furniture, interiors and homeware shops The Bath Framer 7 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath; 01225 920210 www.thebathpictureframer.co.uk High quality framing services Dible & Roy Bridge Street, Bradford on Avon 01225 862320 www.dibleandroy.co.uk Fabrics, flooring and furniture at their two-storey showroom Digger & Mojo Salisbury Road, Pewsey 01672 562222 www.diggerandmojo.com Shop online or instore for antiques, vintage, upcycled and retro furniture and items The Fig Store 76 Walcot Street, Bath; 01225 428031; www.thefigstore.com Stylish homewares, linens, industrial lighting, glassware and vintage furniture The Framing Workshop 80 Walcot Street, Bath 01225 482748 www.theframingworkshop.com Box framing, glass and perspex boxes, hand-finished and gilded frames and more Framecraft 2 – 3 Green Park Station, Green Park Road, Bath www.framecraftonline.com 01225 447072 Full range of framing services Graham and Green 92 Walcot Street, Bath; 01225 418300 www.grahamandgreen.co.uk Exceptional range of furniture and home accessories in a global, glamorous, individual and lifeenhancing style Leather Chairs of Bath 10 York Street. Bath; 01225 447920 www.leatherchairs.co.uk

Timeless bathrooms with hints of the latest trends are what Ripples are all about

Offers new handmade-in-England leather chairs and sofas and restoring antique upholstered furniture, since 1988

01225 336530 www.robertwelch.com Luxury self-designed kitchen accessories

Leekes Beanacre Park, Melksham; 0845 0508240; www.leekes.co.uk Quality furniture, electricals, home accessories and more

Rossiters 38 – 41 Broad Street, Bath; 01225 462227; www.rossitersofbath.com Offering quality furniture, accessories, fabrics, plus an interior design service

OKA 26 – 27 Milsom Street, Bath 01225 443074; www.okadirect.com A 4,000 square foot interiors haven in the heart of Bath Old Bank Antiques Centre 16 – 17 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath; 01225 338813 www.oldbankantiquescentre.com Antiques and decorative items Perfect Rooms, Interiors and Upholstery Silver Street, Gastard, Corsham 01249 716455 www.perfectrooms.co.uk Fabrics, carpets, wallpaper, furniture, homeware and gifts One Two Five Gallery 4 Abbey Green, Bath www.carolewaller.co.uk Paintings and ceramics Robert Welch 6 Broad Street, Bath

114 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Salcombe Trading Co 9 Broad Street, Bath 01225 334281 www.salcombetrading.co.uk A distinctive mix of high quality furniture and accessories Silcox Son and Wicks 5 – 7 New Bath Street, Bath 01225 463933; www.silcox.co.uk Eclectic collection of furnishing gems to suit a range of tastes Sofa Workshop Limited 21 Milsom Street, Bath 01225 442586 www.sofaworkshop.com A wide range of sofas all handmade in Britain and guaranteed for 10 years Verve Living 15 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath; 07785 332536; www.verveliving.uk

An interiors space that fosters creativity and craftsmanship combining hands-on styling and sourcing services with furniture, artworks and homewares, all sourced and created in Britain

Furniture makers J Smith Woodwork Staffords Green, Corton Denham, Sherborne 01963 220147 www.jsmithwoodworkshop. squarespace.com Bespoke handmade kitchens, furniture and design Shellards of Somerset Shellards Factory, Handlemaker Road, Frome 01373 451717 www.shellards.co.uk Bespoke kitchens, windows, doors, staircases, panels, flooring, period skirting and furniture Wainscot Interiors Unit 3, Canvin Court, Somerton Business Park, Bancombe Road, Somerton 01458 272633 www.wainscotinteriors.co.uk Extensive experience in the manufacture, finishing and installation of period architectural joinery, oak panelling and bespoke furniture w

Visit orientalrugsofbath.com or call 01761 451764 at Bookbarn International, Wells Rd, Hallatrow, Bristol, BS39 6EX

15% OFF UNTIL THE END OF OCTOBER WHEN YOU SHOW THIS ADVERT* *Does not apply to any of the sale items

Visit our Showroom Rudloe-stone.com | 01225 816400 Leafield Stoneyard Corsham | Wiltshire | SN13 9RS Image of Hazelberry Manor Fireplace and Distressed White Limestone Flagstones

INTERIORS SPECIAL Home entertainment Moss of Bath 45 St James’ Parade, Bath 01225 331441 www.mossofbath.co.uk Independent home entertainment retailer and solution provider SB Professional Services 01373 858528 www.simonbasford.com Integrated audio visual technology solutions for the home. Full range of IT and security consultancy services

Interior design Clair Strong Interior Design Ltd Walcot Studio, Old Orchard, 88a Walcot Street, Bath 01225 426905/07855 797311 www.clairstrong.co.uk Innovative design for commercial and residential settings both large and small Etons of Bath 108 Walcot Street, Bath 01225 639002; www.etonsofbath.com New showroom offering full range of interior design services No Twelve Queen Street 12 Queen Street, Bath 01225 462363 www.twelvedesign.co.uk Truly personal design service focusing on private residential, hotel and commercial work Vesta Design 07591 513773 www.vestadesign.co.uk Integrated architecture and interior design service. Accredited Passivhaus designers Woodhouse & Law 4 George’s Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath; 01225 428072 www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk Full interior design service; will advise on and source fabrics, furniture, bathrooms and kitchens

Interior styling Catriona Archer 07823 884945 www.catrionaarcher.com Professional, affordable styling for residential and business interiors. Designed to make the most of your existing items, storage and space

Chateau Taupe wallpaper and Parte de Portici framed prints, available at Woodhouse & Law

Kitchens The Bath Kitchen Company 22 Hensley Road, Bath 01225 312003 www.bathkitchencompany.co.uk Family business designing unique, beautiful and functional kitchens for over 20 years Ben Argent Design 01225 448330 www.benargentdesign.com Beautiful bespoke kitchens designed to inspire Cheverell Wood Cheverell, Hopton Park Waller Road, Devizes, 01380 722722 www.cheverellwood.co.uk Highly skilled craftspeople specialise in the design, manufacture and installation of bespoke wooden kitchens, bathrooms, libraries and bedrooms Devizes Fine Kitchens 11 – 12 Northgate Street, Devizes 01380 721772; www.devizesfinekitchens.com Dedicated to the design and production of high quality bespoke kitchens and craft furniture Emerson Living 3 Brassmill Enterprise Centre,

116 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Bath; 01225 571943 www.emersonliving.co.uk Bespoke, contemporary kitchens and modern interiors Hobsons|choice London Road, Bath: 01225 433511 www.hobsonschoice.uk.com The Bath showroom is dedicated to kitchen manufacturer Bulthaup, complemented by Carl Hansen furniture Homemaker Design 8 Pulteney Avenue, Bath; 01225 481881; www.myhomemaker.co.uk Contemporary kitchens at competitive prices Intoto Saracen Street, Bath 01225 335600; www.intoto.co.uk Inspirational kitchens and living spaces Westside Design Lansdown Road, Bath; 01225 864260; www.westsidedesign.co.uk Kitchens, cabinet makers and joiners

Lighting Antique Textiles and Lighting Lansdown Road, Bath 01225 310795

www.antiquesofbath.com Antique shop specialising in period textiles, embroideries, quilts and antique lighting and chandeliers Lumos 07909 227 498 www.lumos-lighting.co.uk Exterior of homes lighting

Worktops and surfaces Hobbs Marble & Granite Radstock Road, Midsomer Norton 01761 412934 www.hobbsmarbleand granite.co.uk Granite, marble, slate, travertine and quartz products Marble Supreme Unit 8 Bridge Road, Bristol; 0117 956 3030 www.marblesupreme.com Bristol based supplier of granite, marble and quartz stone worktops and flooring The Marble Works of Bath Locksbrook Yard, Upper Bristol Road, Bath; 01225 780062 www.marbleworksofbath.com Marble and granite consultants, designers and suppliers

Fireplace, Stove and Chimney specialists

As Bath’s principle Chesney’s dealer visit our showroom to see their latest range of woodburning stoves and fire surrounds. Our range of contemporary Hwam stoves and Jetmaster fires can also be viewed.

Mendip Fireplaces (Bath) Monkton Combe Mill, Monkton Combe, Bath, BA2 7HD Tel. 01225 722706 Fax. 01225 722729 Email. info@mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk www.mendipfireplacesbath.co.uk

Nº Twelve Queen Street Bath, Somerset BA1 1HE

PERIOD AND CONTEMPORARY DESIGN DECORATION AND FURNITURE CAROLE ROBERTS • CAROLINE KONTOS BATH 01225 462363

EMAIL interiors@twelvedesign.co.uk WEB: www.twelvedesign.co.uk

CITY BREAKS

FAMILY REUNIONS

ROMANTIC GETAWAYS

ROUND THE WORLD TRIPS

FAMILY HOLIDAYS

TravelBerry - Personalised Travel Planning

Whatever your needs, we will plan your trip and create you a fully bespoke itinerary.

To get the most out of your next holiday contact us today www.travel-berry.co.uk | 07516737363

Music/theatre/film/more

FUNNY MAN Expect side-splitting laughs galore when comedian Justin Moorhouse rocks up in Bath, as part of his People and Feelings tour, on 14 October. The northern charmer has appeared in Live at the Apollo, Phoenix Nights and Ken Loach’s Looking for Eric, with his trademark wry humour providing plenty of belly laughs – even down to how he describes himself. “I’m a comedian, actor, dogwalker, parent,” he says. “Sometimes I’m on the telly, never on your drive. I have my own teeth and am left-handed. Veggie.” The Manchester-based standup’s show has been described as ‘uncomplicatedly funny’ and ‘bold, brash and boisturous’, with no subject considered off-limits.

PHOTO BY PAUL WOLFGANG WEBSTER

7.30pm; £10-£14; The Rondo Theatre; www.rondotheatre.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 119

B AT H A B B E Y A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

BATH ABBEY FOOTPRINT Improving the Abbey’s worship, hospitality and how it serves the city

fter nearly a decade of planning and consultation, one of the most exciting developments in the city has finally begun. The Footprint project, a £19.3 million programme of capital works and interpretation, will transform Bath Abbey by restoring its historic floor, installing eco-friendly heating, powered by Bath’s hot springs, and create additional space and new facilities in order to improve the Abbey’s worship, hospitality and service to the city. However, Footprint goes beyond creating new spaces or innovative technology. It is equally about improving access and developing new ways for the Abbey to better reach out to local people and enhance community participation through volunteering, learning, family activities and events, to appeal to a wide cross-section of people. How will Footprint transform the Abbey? l Creating new spaces and making the Abbey more accessible for all. l Enriching worship by providing a more comfortable worshipping space and a new Song School. l Reducing the carbon footprint using Bath's hot springs. l Repairing and stabilising the Abbey's collapsing floor. l Retelling the ancient story with new displays and activities to share the Abbey’s story and history. When is this happening? Excavations have already begun along the south side, and work will start inside the Abbey by next spring. To ensure the Abbey stays open as usual, the work will be carried out in carefully planned stages. There are exciting plans for ‘hard-hat tours’ and workshops so visitors can go behind the hoardings and see the work as it happens.

Why is the Footprint project important? The Abbey is a place to gather at moments of celebration, crisis and decision, welcoming nearly half a million people every year who take part in over 1,000 services of worship, ceremonies, concerts and events. The Abbey urgently needs more space and new facilities just to keep up. So how will the Abbey fund this once-ina-lifetime project? Thanks to a grant of £10.7 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and additional funding from private individuals, trusts, and the Abbey’s congregation and visitors, there is only £1million left to raise. How you can help Whatever you can donate will help the Abbey serve its visitors and the city. Please visit www.bathabbey.org/footprint/support to find out more. There are also various ways to volunteer with the project. Please get in touch with the Footprint team on 01225 422462 or footprint@bathabbey.org.

120 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

01225 422462; footprint@bathabbey.org; www.bathabbey.org

LUXURY PROPERTIES IN THE HEART OF BATH

YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE WELCOME. Best wishes to Bath life FOR their 15th birthday party!

bathboutiquestays.co.uk

30 September – 27 October

Toni Cogdell’s Ribbons at Gallery and Barrow; Paul Zerdin and friends come to Komedia; Martin Shaw is in a race for the White House at the Theatre Royal Bath

Exhibitions U N TI L 1 O C TO B E R

TORSO This autumn exhibition features a new body of work from Gary Wood on the theme of torso; One Two Five Gallery; www.onetwofivegallery.co.uk U N TI L 8 O C TO B E R

SOMERSET ART WEEK A celebration of the visual arts in the South West with over 350 artists in 120 venues, many of whom have embraced the theme of ‘prospect’. www.somersetartworks.org.uk U N TI L 8 O C TO B E R

ECHOES OF PLACE John Eaves’ vibrant compositions in oil, watercolour and collage dazzle the viewer in this

show from one of the most distinguished local artists. His work is noted for its rhythmic compositions and use of colour to create mood. Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk

UNTIL 28 O C TO BER

FORM AND FASCINATION New exhibition from sculptors Fiona Campbell and Ian Turnock. The Courts Gardens, Holt; www.nationaltrust.org

WATER’S EDGE The contrasting energy of the Cornish coast and the calmer River Avon feature in an exciting exhibition from Neil Pinkett. Artist Emily Kriste-Wilcox is also showing a selection of handbuilt ceramic vessels, distinctive with sea colours of pale blues and greens. David Simon Contemporary; www. davidsimoncontemporary.com

U N TI L 2 3 OCTO BER

UNTIL 29 O C TO BER

U N TI L 1 5 OCTO BER

UNTIL 29 O CT O B ER

1920S JAZZ AGE: FASHION & PHOTOGRAPHS With over 150 garments, this stunning selection of sportswear, printed day dresses, fringed flapper dresses, beaded evening wear and silk pyjamas, reveals the glamour, excess, frivolity and modernity of the decade. American Museum; www.americanmuseum.org UNTIL 31 O CT O B ER

THE AMAZING WORLD OF TREES The Bath Society of Botanical Artists has sought to capture the strong forms and delicate beauty of trees in this exhibition, with compositions that are scientifically accurate and visually pleasing. 10am; BRLSI; www.bsba.co.uk

124 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

JOYCE PETSCHEK: BREAKING THE PATTERN Bargello needlework is a beautiful flame-stitch pattern and the artist Joyce Petschek has created a captivating body of work that is colourful, inspiring and innovative. American Museum; www.americanmuseum.org

THE TRANSFORMED LAND This exhibition collects work from various artists who are interested in place. Some frequently return to the same place, others are visitors, some are residents, and some are creators of imagined places. 8am; Circle Bath Hospital; www.artatruh.org

W H AT ’ S O N

ARTS

UNTI L 9 NO V E MBE R

THE CASTING OUT Thought-provoking outdoor sculpture from local artist Martin Elphick, designed to spark debate in Bath. Bath Abbey; www.bathabbey.org UNTI L 2 5 N O V E MBE R

BATH AND THE SMITHSONS Past, Present, Future: Bath and the Smithsons, is part of a series of events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Royal Crescent. The exhibition explores Bath’s unique architecture through two of England’s most influential post-war architects, Peter and Alison Smithson. Museum of Bath Architecture; www. museumofbatharchitecture.org.uk UNTI L 1 0 D E C E MBE R

JUBILATE A celebration of music and science in 18th-century Bath, with a fascinating collection exploring the 250th anniversary of William Herschel being appointed director of music in our city. Herschel Museum of Astronomy; www.herschelmuseum.org.uk UNTI L 2 4 D E C E MBE R

THE MOST POPULAR ART EXHIBITION EVER! An exciting exhibition from Grayson Perry tackling how contemporary art can address a diverse society. Arnolfini; www.arnolfini.co.uk 2 OCTOBER

FIVE FAMOUS PAINTINGS: HOW TO DECIPHER ART Five well-known paintings will be explained, discussed and deciphered in this talk from Ray Warburton. 7.15pm; £8; BRLSI; www.batheveningarts.co.uk 3 – 8 OCTOBER

DAWNDUSK An exhibition of paintings from Miriam Sheppard and photography from Simon Richardson, capturing liminal light; after the sun has set and as it rises. 44AD; www.44ad.net 4 OCTOBER

TEXTURES Preview of collection of new works by Dutch artist Agnes Pollock, who now lives in Freshford. Verve; www.verveliving.uk

William Rose’s Smoking Skeleton at the Victoria Art Gallery 6 – 8 OCTOBER

THREE WESSEX SKETCHERS An exhibition from local landscape painters Valérie Pirlot, Bob Child and Andrew Taylor, showcasing work produced during their recent travels. 10am; West Barn, Barton Farm, Bradford on Avon; www.valeriepirlot.com 1 4 OCTOBE R – 7 J ANUAR Y

WILLIAM ROSE: THE DEVIL MADE THE COOK The Bath-based artist’s vision, expressed in this series of extraordinary paintings inspired by the cook, delves into the world of the subconscious and mysterious. The ingredients are ironic and mystical, the impact disturbing and humorous. Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk 1 9 OCTOBE R – 20 NO VEMBER

PSYCHE, DREAMS AND SPACES An exhibition of oil paintings from Toni Cogdell and landscapes by local artist Antonella ScarpaIsles. Toni’s portraits locate an area between figuration and

abstraction, while Antonella’s layered paintings are a direct response to the moods and memories of places. Gallery & Barrow; www.galleryandbarrow.com

survivors and Anne’s friends Eva Geiringer Schloss and Ed Silverberg, and actors. 7.30pm; £10; The Mission Theatre; www.bathboxoffice.org.uk

19 O C TO BER – 21 DEC EMBER

4 O C TOB ER

Plays/Shows

5 O C TOB ER

LUNCHTIME EXHIBITION TOURS Learn more about the gallery’s exhibits on Thursday lunchtimes. 12.30pm – 1pm; Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk

2 – 7 O C TO BER

HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES Bob and Fiona try to cover up their affair, but their spouses’ intervention only adds to the confusion. Various times; £21 – £32; Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

AM I RIGHT LADIES!? Hot on the heels of her smash hit show What Would Beyoncé Do?, comedian Luisa Omielan brings her follow-up show to Bath. 8pm; £14; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk PAUL ZERDIN 2015’s America’s Got Talent winner, ventriloquist Paul Zerdin, brings his sparkling new show featuring an all-star cast of infamous puppets to the city, for an evening of laugh out loud comedy. 8pm; £17.50; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk 6 O C TOB ER

2 – 10 O C TO BER

AND THEN THEY CAME FOR ME: REMEMBERING THE WORLD OF ANNE FRANK This multi-media play combines interviews with Holocaust

BOTTOM’S DREAM Nick’s an amateur actor and blessed with more enthusiasm than talent. An audition has ended in disappointment so, drowning his sorrows, he nods off and w

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 125

ARTS

W H AT ’ S O N

finds himself in a scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 8pm; £10; The Mission Theatre; www.bathboxoffice.org.uk 9 – 1 4 O C TO B E R

THE BEST MAN Martin Shaw leads the cast in this timely UK premiere of Gore Vidal’s award-winning play, and the race to The White House. various times; £26 – 37; Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk 12 – 1 4 O C TO B E R

MURDER BALLAD This production is a steamy exploration of the complications of love, the compromises we make and the betrayals that undo us in this musical thriller, which promises a raw, grungy edge. 8pm; £12/£10; The Mission Theatre; www.bathboxoffice.org.uk 24 – 2 8 O C TO B E R

GOODNIGHT MISTER TOM In September 1939 a boy, William Beech, is evacuated from London to the home of recluse Tom Oakley in the tranquil village of Little Weirwold. But despite his intentions not to get too fond of William, they become firm friends – but trouble looms. Various times; £12.50/£10.50; The Mission Theatre; www.bathboxoffice.org.uk

Music

Clockwise: Local lads Saint Loe come to Komedia; Howard Hodgkin’s Banyan Tree at the Victoria Art Gallery; Bottom’s Dream at The Mission Theatre

2 OCTOBER

THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN The legendary alt rockers are making a rare appearance and playing tracks from their critically acclaimed Damage and Joy. 7pm; £27.50; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk 6 OCTOBER

80S DISCO NIGHT Don your ra-ra skirts and leg warmers, or perhaps your New Romantics outfits, for a night of 80s music. 8pm; £5; Bath City FC; www.bathcityfc.com 11 O C T O B E R

SAINT LOE A quartet of vocal harmony talent and masterly musicianship from Bath’s pop/rock newbies Saint Loe. 7pm; £3; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk

1 3 OCTOBE R

SOUNDS OF THE SIRENS Sound of the Sirens are an Exeterbased duo, comprising of Abbe Martin and Hannah Wood. Their live shows combine a natural facility for connecting with their audiences and unforgettable performances with warmth, humour and, above all, real conviction. 7pm; £10; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk

decade later. 7pm; £15; Komedia; www.komedia.co.uk

Family fun UNTIL 8 O C TO BER

BATH CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FESTIVAL Fantastic children’s literature festival with talks, workshops and of course lots of books. Various times and venues; www.bathfestivals.org.uk

2 0 OCTOBE R

THE HOOSIERS Chart-topping indie pop band The Hoosiers are coming to Bath to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their number one album A Trick to Life. The debut album spawned the catchy classics Worried About Ray and Goodbye Mr A, and still pack out dance floors a

126 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

UNTIL 8 O C TO BER

HERE BE DRAGONS Visitors to this awe-inspiring exhibition will encounter a veritable dragon’s den – in two and three dimensions – crammed with creatures that have leapt out of their favourite books. Events, workshops and storytelling

sessions for the whole family. Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk UNTIL 17 DECEM B ER

SOUNDING THE WOOD Let your imagination run wild at this musical playground, and find four huge instruments hidden in the woodland. Prior Park; www.nationaltrust.org.uk 1 O C TO B ER

KING COO Ben Pole is running from his arch-enemy Monty Grabbe, when he discovers a secret wood full of traps, tree houses, Herbert the wombat and best of all, King Coo. Meet author Adam Stower and join in with drawing. 11.45am; £6.50; The Mission Theatre; www.bathboxoffice.org.uk w

ARTS

W H AT ’ S O N

Carefully does it at the Victoria Art Gallery’s Big Draw; The Jesus and Mary Chain come to Komedia

21 O C T O B E R

THE BIG DRAW: FACING UP TO IT Create faces of animals and people with colourful pens. 11am – 3pm; Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk 23 O C T O B E R

EXPLORER TRAIL Enjoy special paintings and see what you can spot on this fun indoor trail. 10.30am; Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk 24 O C T O B E R

COLOUR EXPLOSION Use complementary colours to make big bright pictures in oil pastel, also on 26 October. 10.30am; Victoria Art Gallery; www.victoriagal.org.uk 24 – 2 9 O C TO B E R

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN E.Nesbit’s classic novel is brought to life in this stunning new stage production. The coming-of-age tale gives a fascinating insight into Edwardian life. Various times; £19.50 – £28; Theatre Royal Bath; www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Other U N TI L 8 OCTOBER

THE GREAT BATH FEAST Get your teeth stuck into this foodie festival with offers and events taking place across the city. Various venues; www.greatbathfeast.co.uk 6 OCTOBE R

AL FRESCO CINEMA AT THE ROYAL CRESCENT Watch La La Land in this beautiful setting. Also Dirty Dancing on 7 October and the 2017 version of Beauty and the Beast on 8 October. 7.30pm; £15/£27.50; The Royal Crescent; www.thelunacinema.com 1 2 OCTOBE R

RE-USE AND RE-PURPOSE Join Professor Carol Tulloch as she talks about how British/ Jamaican fashion designer Jessica Ogden’s work re-making, re-cycling and customising pre-used textiles is rooted in a centuries-old Caribbean tradition. Part of Black History Month. Twilight talk at the Fashion Museum. 6.15pm; £8 – £10, The Fashion Museum; www.fashiomuseum.co.uk

128 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

13 O C TO BER

BATH YOUNG ACTOR OF THE YEAR Watch six highly talented performers who have been selected from the 2017 MidSomerset Festival to compete for the Junior and Senior Bath Young Actor of the Year. 6.45pm; £5; The Edge, University of Bath; www.bathboxoffice.org.uk

21 O C TO B ER

WESTONBIRT CHARITIES GYPSY BALL Dance yourself dizzy to gypsy punk band Ushti Baba and enjoy Moroccan food, magicians and more at this event in aid of Home-Start SD and the Great Western Air Ambulance. 7pm; £65; Westonbirt School, Tetbury; www.westonbirtfair.org 23 – 27 O CT O B ER

14 O C TO BER

COMBE DOWN ART GROUP EXHIBITION See artworks from CDAG’s enthusiastic amateur artists, from 10am; Holy Trinity Church, Combe Down; www.cdag.co.uk 14 – 15 O C TO BER

ACHIEVE Weekend of 14 celebrity speakers, including Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Ruby Wax. The event is the brainchild of Homes Under the Hammer’s Martin Roberts. “What life changes might be possible over a short period of time if you just put your mind to it?” says Martin. Various times; £10 –£20; Bath Assembly Rooms; www.achieve.co.uk For more, see page 19

BATH AT HOME Businesses in Bath are holding a series of home and interior events inside their shops. The event has been organised by Bath BID with Anthropologie, Fired Earth, Farrow and Ball, Rossiters, OKA and India Jane among those taking part. Various times and venues; www.bathbid.co.uk 24 – 25 O CT O B ER

WESTONBIRT CHARITIES FAIR Gifts and treats, and more await at this Christmas Fair, supporting Home-Start SD, the Great Western Air Ambulance and Toucan for Children. 10am; £7.50-£8, children go free; Westonbirt School, Tetbury; www.westonbirtfair.org

MEET THE MAKER

ANTIQUES of the FUTURE Meet Bath-based architectural model-builder Timothy Richards, who is known across the globe for remaking the world in miniature

ragging out a dusty wooden chest from underneath a table, Timothy Richards carefully opens it with a creak, dusts away a few cobwebs, and inside is his treasure: half a dozen model ships, perfect in scale and detail, all made of card. “My father made these when he was a young boy,” says Timothy, the owner and master craftsman of the only businesses in the world of its kind, as far as Timothy is aware. “He definitely inspired me to start making things. The first item I can ever remember making was a copycat ship when I was about five years old.” So, ever since he can remember, he’s been a passionate maker, and that passion has seen Timothy become world-famous in his niche field. Strikingly accurate plaster model replicas of the world’s most well-known buildings – from Bath’s No.1 Royal Crescent, to the Pantheon, the White House and the Chrysler Building – are handmade by Timothy and his small team. And his more illustrious clients pay over £100,000 for pieces to showcase in their own homes, to give as gifts to the people who have everything, or to award to philanthropists. The majority of the hundreds of exquisitely The team adding the final touches to detailed models we see the No.1 Royal Crescent, Bath, model in his studio – housed in an old Victorian school in Widcombe, Bath – range in size between those you can fit on a mantelpiece, to ones that reach knee height, but that’s just the start of it. “The largest model of a building we’ve ever built was seven yards long, took three and a half thousand hours to make, and was delivered in 94 crates by sea,” says Timothy. “I wouldn’t like to reveal the cost of that one.” So how does one man become known across the globe for his skill? Timothy believes it’s because he and his team are the “only people in the world” who do what they do, the way they do it. “Other people in this sort of business aren’t hand-making the models or going into the same amount of detail as us,” he claims. “We’ve developed techniques nobody else uses, as far as I know, 132 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

because it’s too hard to do or it’s not profitable enough. They’re also using modern technology and machines. I’ve got a lot of time for a few technological processes, but it’s no substitute for craft. And other people don’t tend to use plaster, which we do.” Models typically take months to make – from the ‘master’, which is constructed from materials such as resin and wood, to the completed plaster design which includes detailed surface elements made from glass, wafer-thin lead, bronze, metals and gold leaf. The final versions can be so realistic that, when photographed close-up, they can be mistaken for the real thing. “We tell a story through our models,” says Timothy. “People have referred to them as the antiques of the future. They are built to last with permanent, traditional materials that no other manufacturer would use.” It’s not without a struggle that Timothy is where he is today; in the early stages of his business, profits were so dire that the bank advised him to shut down, and matters weren’t made simpler when, in 1992, his workshop burnt down. “We’ve been through a huge number of workshops,” he says. “We were burnt out of workshop number four (at Lays Farm) because the kids on the farm used to burn rubbish nearby and a massive gale meant that my studio caught fire and almost everything was ruined. “We had to move the work into the nearby calf barn which we had to muck out, and we replaced the straw with our tools,” he adds. “It was like a nativity scene, with the mother cows bellowing for their calves. Thinking back, it was quite funny. About a week later, one of our very posh clients came to check if their order was OK and he had to tiptoe through slurry in his designer shoes to get to us.” Decades after setting up his eponymous business, however, and Timothy has steadily built a global reputation among private collectors and public institutions. “It’s surprising to think how far this has all come,” he says. “I started in my attic at home until I was thrown out of there by my wife (we’re still married) due to the smell of plaster which, when w

Timothyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workshop is based inside a former Victorian school in Widcombe, Bath

WE HAD TO MOVE THE WORK INTO THE NEARBY CALF BARN. IT WAS LIKE A NATIVITY

PHOTO BY TIM WOOLF

SCENE

MEET THE MAKER PHOTOS BY TIM WOOLF

From top: One of Timothy’s main aims is to always do the right thing by design; a chest of card ships, made by Timothy’s father in the early 1940s, inspired Timothy to start model-making when he was five years old; where the magic happens

you wash it, forms bacteria that smells like drains. That seems like a lifetime ago. I have a lovely picture somewhere of my sons and I in the attic and they are so small. They’re now 35 years old, so that gives some scale of it.” He insists that, through the years, money has never been a driver for him, and he has never been commercially minded. “My determination is a mixture of trying to survive, looking after my people, doing the right thing by design, and having integrity and a passion for what I do,” he says. We can’t help but wonder why an individual so fascinated by architecture chose a road less travelled (model-making) over becoming an architect. But, for Timothy, architecture isn’t what it used to be, hence why he prefers to remake miniature versions of jobs-well-done. “I did think about architecture for a living, but a lot of today’s architecture is built by big firms, and modern architecture (not all of it) is a mess; I don’t think it’s responsible in terms of durability and scale, and it’s not being built to the needs of the community. “Bath is a case in point of rewriting the rules in terms of what’s acceptable with scale,” he adds. “The city’s undergoing a not-soquiet gold rush, driven by greed. There are two things that make a city great: the architecture, and the plan. Everyone would love to live in a palace, and Bath is a city of little palaces. “This picturesqueness is what modern planners struggle with. Original Bath as a canvas is incredible, and when you look down on it from the top of a hill, you can see how it has worked as a city for all these years. The plan is perfect. “It’s therefore a tragedy what’s happening in Bath now. I would like to see more intelligence put into new designs. Buildings are like people; if I moved towards you, you’d naturally move away to gain back your personal space, and buildings have that same need for breathing room. They should never be packed close together. I feel we have rubbished our own culture and we’ve confused the needs of refurbishment with the tearing down of the soul of our city. We had a great need for a brave new world after the war, and instead of rebuilding our damaged buildings, we demolished them.” Timothy comes to life when talking about Bath’s buildings, and rightly so considering they have been such a draw for him since the age of 10. “Great swathes of Bath were torn down when I was young, and I remember thinking ‘this is wrong’ and getting upset about it,” he says. “Ever since then, I’ve been inspired by classical architecture.” And his response has been to replicate his favourite Bath buildings in model form, as well as popular structures from around the world. “As I said, buildings are a lot like people,” he says. “They have personality, character and energy; they witness things. And I’d like to be able to capture that forever.”

WE ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO DO WHAT WE DO

For more, visit www.timothyrichards.co.uk 134 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

E D U C AT I O N A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

TEACHING LITTLE ONES HOW TO LEARN An innovative approach is reaping rewards for pupils at ST MARGARET’S PREPARATORY SCHOOL, with children enjoying good self-esteem, thriving and achieving ahead of their peers

t St Margaret’s Preparatory School in Calne, Wiltshire, teachers have shifted their focus in respect of teaching and learning, providing a whole school programme that enables pupils to understand how they learn best and encourages them not to be afraid of making mistakes. Research has shown that this is reaping rewards, with many pupils in Years 5 and 6 confirmed to be on average three academic years ahead of others at the same age. Headmistress Karen Cordon explains how teaching ‘mental toughness’ is having incredible results. “In 2015, after a great deal of research and debate, we introduced a targeted approach to learning, across the whole school, this coincided with taking part in a large research project organised by the Independent Schools Council (ISC) into Effective Learning Skills, which can also be referred to as mental toughness,” she says. “We were confident that by encouraging our children to understand ‘how’ they learn and develop, they would not only do better in examinations but also have a growth mindset that would set them up to succeed in later life. Our head of teaching and learning, Sarah Chester, and I fervently believed that by encouraging the children to think about what they had done well and what they might have done differently to get a better outcome, by taking responsibility and by

136 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

asking questions, this would improve not just their academic ability but also their personal skills. Indeed this belief was acknowledged recently when, in our Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) Educational Quality inspection, the inspectors concluded that, ‘pupils of all ages display very high levels of self-knowledge, self-esteem, self-confidence and resilience. Their outstanding personal development is underpinned by excellent pastoral care and a high level of commitment by all staff to support the individual needs of every pupil. All pupils understand how to improve their own learning through regular opportunities provided for reflection on their own performance, as part of the whole-school effective learning skills programme.’ “This was a wonderful acknowledgement of the work that has been put in by all the staff at St Margaret’s who, in every lesson, encourage the children to talk about not just what they have learnt that day but how they have used their effective learning skills to improve their work. The research project we have been part of through the ISC has also made me confident that this method of teaching is undoubtedly the way forward. “Every child in years one to six completed a mental toughness questionnaire for the project, which was carried out by the UK’s principal

authority on qualitative research, AQR. The top two year groups answered the questions on their own but the younger pupils were helped by a teacher. When the questionnaires were analysed, alongside data from both independent and state schools, it was found that in terms of effective learning skills, our senior pupils were on average two academic years ahead of other similar schools. The AQR experts concluded that the St Margaret’s Year 5 and 6 children had a mental toughness rating of 5.13, which is extremely significant as the average for independent schools was 4.26 and for state schools 3.94; this equates to one and three years difference respectively. “It is vital that effective learning skills are taught at primary level, as research has shown that children nationally are at their most resilient and are most willing to take risks in their learning in Year 6; this level is never quite reached again throughout their educational career. Mental toughness allows children to establish a growth mindset that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. “If someone has a fixed mindset they will be risk averse and will focus on ability and not effort. It will also mean they will be less likely to take responsibility for something that goes wrong and consequently do not learn from making mistakes.

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E E D U C AT I O N

“Evidence shows that if you can take a child when they are young and develop a growth mindset, they are likely to do 25 per cent better in GCSEs, A-levels and life beyond, than those who have not been taught the skill. “Effective Learning Skills at St Margaret’s grew from an approach that was already in place for those children in our Early Years department. We divided the skills into three key areas – engagement, motivation and critical thinking. We decided to implement the principles across the whole school and, as a result, we extended the school day for all children to 4pm. This facilitated time for 30 minute reflection periods, allowing everyone the opportunity to consider how they had put effective learning into action. We also introduced a range of practical activities. One of these might be where children are asked to complete the same task twice. The first time they would try and solve a puzzle whilst they were constantly being interrupted and the second time they would have peace and quiet; illustrating how doing work in a peaceful environment can help with concentration and allow them to complete it more successfully. “All of our children have now embraced this new way of learning and are able to question, and reflect on what they have done in class without being told to do so. At St Margaret’s we care passionately about helping every child to reach their potential and effective learning skills are a vital part of this. “Mental toughness is about how we think and why we behave the way we do. It is not about being macho, domineering or aggressive. We want our children to be the very best they can be. With mental toughness they can become comfortable in their own skin, they accept that life can be difficult at times, but also understand that it is full of opportunities, as well as challenges. Being able to think in this positive way will not come easy for all children, but by the time they leave us we want each individual to be successful, independent, motivated, responsible, inspired and to get fun out of life and learning. “To help our pupils achieve this, we have set up ways of recording their progress by awarding House Points to children who identify what they have been doing well and discuss with confidence where they might need help. There are displays in every classroom and weekly review sessions are on every child’s timetable. Progress Books are used for tracking, and parents are asked to support the programme at home. Our parents all

“THIS METHOD OF LEARNING WILL REAP LIMITLESS REWARDS!”

understand and value our three key elements; commitment, which is the need to stick with something, to set targets and to break things down into bite sizes pieces; challenge, which is to learn from new experiences; and confidence, which is about having self-belief, influencing others and engaging in discussion. “I believe all of these attributes are helping our children to achieve highly, and ISI Inspectors certainly confirmed this belief when they recently graded our educational quality ‘excellent’ across the board. “Effective Learning Skills are part of every lesson, and I am confident that is one of the reasons that the inspectors gave us such a high rating. We could not be more pleased with the way the inspection team captured the ethos of the school and in particular the essence and the spirit of the children, who excelled during the inspection visit and demonstrated the relationships that they enjoy with each other and with the staff, coupled with their enthusiasm for learning; this is also evident throughout the report. “I am extremely proud of our pupils and thank them for participating in school life and in the inspection process with such passion. I am also very proud of the staff here, because this outcome reflects their commitment, not only to the children, but to every aspect of school life at St Margaret’s. I would firmly recommend that all schools introduce Effective Learning Skills and believe that with commitment from staff, pupils and parents, this method of learning will reap limitless rewards!”

St Margaret’s is holding an Open Morning on Thursday 12 October from 9.30am until midday. Register online at www. stmargaretsprep.org.uk or contact Mrs Simone Hughes on 01249 857379.

St Margaret’s Preparatory School Curzon Street, Calne Wiltshire SN11 0DF 01249 857220 office@stmargaretsprep.org.uk www.stmargaretsprep.org.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 137

Independent Tutorial College oﬀering: A Levels, GCSEs, Retakes and Supplementary Tuition

A PERSONALISED EDUCATION 27 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HX 01225 334577 | admissions@bathacademy.co.uk www.bathacademy.co.uk

“Amazing success” in returning pupils to mainstream education (Good Schools Guide) • Co-educational day school for pupils aged 6-13 with dyslexia and other specific learning/language difficulties. • Located in Wiltshire between Bath and Chippenham. CReSTeD approved. • Fully qualified specialist teachers with maximum class size of eight - reducing to one-to-one as required.

Bath Choral M USIC Society light

FACE the MUSIC Bringing the community together through music are the city’s choirs. Get to know five of the best… By L I SA E VA NS

rom singers that have performed alongside the likes of Chesney Hawkes and Kiki Dee, to a choral group that’s continuing a tradition which was started on the same site in the 7th century, discover the range of choirs making Bath a city of song..

www.bath-choral-society.org.uk

BATH CHORAL SOCIETY

BATH BACH CHOIR

John Gutteridge, head of communications Describe the choir to us… Established in 1887, there are over 90 singers who perform choral works, both classical and contemporary. Our members are of all ages – from 20 to over 70. We encourage new younger members by offering a bursary scheme for under-25s to help with the costs of membership, scores and singing lessons. Can anyone join? New members have an audition which tests for tone and vocal range, musicality and the ability to read music within a four-part harmony. What does the choir bring to the city? Bath Choral Society has added to the pleasure of living in the city for 130 years. Our annual performances of Messiah attract large audiences, and many people attend to give a flying start to their Christmas celebrations. We also participate each year in Party in the City – an event which bonds the city through the range and quality of so many musical offerings. Where do you perform? We give two performances of Messiah every 140 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

year at Bath Abbey (this year, they’re on 1 and 2 December), plus three other major concerts each year in locations in central Bath, and we perform accompanied by professional soloists and orchestras. Our next concert will be at St John’s, South Parade, on 20 October.

Kate Patrick, BBC publicity manager Tell us a little about the choir… It’s an auditioned group of around 90 singers – from a 20-year-old student, to a member over 80 – who have a wide repertoire, from Renaissance and great baroque choral masterpieces of Bach, Mozart and Handel, right up to more contemporary works written in the 21st century. What’s the story behind its beginnings? It was founded in 1946 by Cuthbert Bates – also a founding father of the Bath Bach Festival, who founded it in order to perform Bach’s Mass in B minor. The event was so successful that the choir stayed together and became the mainstay of the festival. Why do you believe music can bring a community together? If you are fortunate enough to be able to stage a great choral masterpiece in a wonderful setting like Bath Abbey, it is not only a complete honour and privilege, it provides your audience with the opportunity to get caught up in the breathtaking majesty of the moment.

What do you think music adds to Bath? Bath has always been a fine city of culture, so we like to think that the choir upholds this tradition. Music adds a dimension of inspiration not always achievable through the spoken or written word. What else does the choir offer? As well as regular social gatherings in members’ houses, the choir goes on tour every other year, which is a fantastic bonding experience for members as well as an opportunity to sing in some unusual and inspiring places. What is the auditioning process? Come along to a rehearsal to test the water. If you like what you find, arrange an audition with musical director Nigel Perrin in which you sing a prepared piece. What’s coming up? We perform three main concerts a year (generally two of those take place in Bath Abbey). We also give three Carols by Candlelight concerts every Christmas at The Pump Room with, this year, one night at St Michael’s Without. We have a performance coming up at Malmesbury Abbey on 11 November; and you can attend Carols by Candlelight in December. www.bathbachchoir.org.uk

LUCIS CHOIR

Claire Urmston, vice chairwoman and publicity ofﬁcer How would you describe the choir? It’s a non-audition organisation with a vision to explore a large variety of musical genres from across the ages and across the globe.

PHOTO BY JOHN COWMAN

up the room

MUSIC

Tell us about its beginnings… Founded in 2014, the group is comprised of two former choirs – Organum and Corsham Choral Society – who forged a reputation for the high standard of choral singing in a number of their joint ventures. Can music bring a community together? Music transcends many things. It speaks to people in ways that other languages cannot, enabling people from all walks of life to come together for a common goal. What would life be like without music? In the words of Leonard Bernstein ‘Life without music is unthinkable’. We’re very lucky in this city to be surrounded by music, whether in formal concerts, or from buskers – it simply brings Bath to life in ways other art forms can’t. What else does the choir offer? When you work in such close quarters with people, you foster relationships that are rather special. We have a social committee who organise activities for the choir, such as walking trips and skittles evenings.

THE BATH ABBEY CHOIR

Huw Williams, director of music at Bath Abbey Tell us about the choir… It comprises three groups – boys (from eight years), girls (11 – 18 years) and men. Because the Abbey has no choir school, it means we are able to select our boys and girls from a wide range of local schools which allows us to bring together some of the most gifted young voices from in and around Bath. The men’s choir, which includes choral scholars from the two Bath universities, works harmoniously to continue a centuries-old choral tradition, and play a vital part in the music life of the Abbey and the city. Musical director of Bath Bach Choir Nigel Perrin

Tell us something unexpected... We encourage young singers into the field by offering free membership to under-25s, and we frequently collaborate with students from Bath Spa University. What’s coming up? Our next concert, Out Of Darkness, is on 25 November at St Luke’s Church, Wellsway. We are also performing at Westonbirt Arboretum on 18 December as part of their Enchanted Christmas events. www.lucischoir.com

MUSIC SIMPLY BRINGS BATH TO LIFE IN WAYS OTHER ART FORMS CAN’T

When was the choir first formed? We belong to an ancient tradition which is greater than any of us. The first music on this site would have been women’s voices in a convent dating from 676 AD. By the 8th century, there was a Benedictine monastery with the monks singing the Lord’s praises seven times a day. However, the modern boys and men’s choir dates from the middle of the 19th century, and the girls choir was formed 20 years ago. What does music mean to you? To sing is to be human. It’s a great way for a community to speak with one voice. At times of greatest anxiety and joy, we turn to music to express the inexpressible – think of the response to 9/11, or the joy at the Diamond Jubilee, how music captured the mood so well. You can even think how rugby crowds sing to celebrate a famous victory or to encourage their team onto greater achievements. Tell us something unusual... Sometimes we stop rehearsals early to buy an ice cream in the square outside the Abbey (but that’s a secret!).

What’s coming up? The Abbey girls and men can be heard every Thursday at 5.30pm – a perfect antidote to the stresses of modern life – and all choirs can be heard on Sundays. Our next concert is our Christmas Festival Concert on 9 December. www.bathabbey.org

ROCK CHOIR

Jeanette Blamire, PR, media and communications manager Please describe the choir… This pioneering, contemporary choir boasts over 25,000 members enjoying it in over 360 local communities, including in Bath. It offers adults and teenagers an alternative experience to the traditional, classical or community choir. We have been perfecting Rock Choir for 11 years now and have achieved an award-winning standard of excellence in both the educational and emotional aspects of what we try to do. It’s now the UK’s largest contemporary choir. We offer the chance to sing and perform popular contemporary songs, with no auditions and no requirements to read music or have any previous experience. What sets it apart from other musical groups in the city? The chance to perform at life-changing events – from recording sessions at Abbey Road Studios, to touring with well-known celebrities such as X Factor winner Sam Bailey, English Tenor Russell Watson, and one-off performances with the likes of Chesney Hawkes, Toyah Willcox, Kim Wilde and Kiki Dee. What does music mean to you? It has a great impact on people’s lives; it gives lots of people a purpose. Scientific studies show evidence that taking part in regular group singing can significantly improve physical and mental health. Other benefits include a reduction in stress levels, a boost to the immune system, improved mental wellbeing, enhanced concentration and memory, and improved confidence. Life would certainly be a very dark place without music; an unthinkable tragedy. What songs do the choir typically sing? Fun, uplifting, feel-good songs ranging from chart to rock and Motown. We are currently rehearsing and performing songs by artists such as Jess Glynne, Olly Murs, and Erasure. Share something exciting with us… Rock Choir has released two top 20 albums and has made numerous other TV appearances on the likes of BBC Breakfast, The One Show, Good Morning Britain, and The Paul O’Grady Show. www.rockchoir.com www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 141

马生拍卖

Ma San Auction in Bath

S P E C I A L I S I N G I N C H I N E S E A N D A S I A N WO R K S O F A R T A Chinese gilt bronze seal with 4 character seal mark mounted with a resting goat SOLD £3360

A 15th-17th century bronze Thai standing Buddha with original purchase receipt dated 1965 SOLD £5280

Magnificent 19th century hardwood (Xuanji) screen with fine embroidery ‘one hundred birds’ scene, 210cm tall SOLD £24,600

A 19th century cloisonné dragon dish with Buddhist symbols and six character mark of Wanli SOLD £1200

now We are g t accep in s for ment consign ember N our ov 17 sale 20

A Song dynasty Ding type bowl with a dark glazed exterior and white interior finish. SOLD £2160

Free valuations and home visits • Over 30 years experience • Competitive commission rates Direct contacts in Hong Kong and China • Sales every two months Kelso Villa, Upper Bristol Road, Bath BA1 3AU

www.masanauction.com

Tel. 01225 318587

Looking to ﬁnd that special someone? Caroline Crowther is a truly local personal introduction agency helping you meet someone new in your area. We offer a long term personal service until you find your perfect match. For a professional and personal service call

01934 744788

0800 180 4788

www.carolinecrowther.com

BOOKS

ARTS

WHEN POPPING BACK IN TIME, IT’S ALWAYS FUN TO CONSIDER SOME THENFUTURISTIC DYSTOPIAN FICTION

NOSTALGIC NOVELS As Bath Life celebrates its 15-year anniversary this month, here’s what I might have reviewed if I’d written a column for that very first issue… By N IC BO T T OM L E Y

hen Bath Life hit the printing presses for the first time 15 years ago, I didn’t get to pen a book column for them – on account of neither living in Bath nor owning a bookshop. My literary witterings (I feel I want to shorten that to ‘litterings’ but it makes me sound too much like an untrained pet) began a few years later, but for this special issue I thought I’d look at what I might have reviewed if I’d written a column for that very first issue of Bath Life. So, imagining, if you will, far superior writing and a more youthful outlook, let’s leap in this book review DeLorean and key in the year 2002. I am sure I wouldn’t have missed the chance to begin the year by paying homage to Astrid Lindgren who sadly died in January 2002. Back then I would have only celebrated her most famous creation, the precocious Pippi Longstocking, but that’s because her wartime diaries were still lingering in a laundry basket where they remained lost and unpublished for many years. A World Gone Mad (Pushkin, £9.99) finally emerged in English last year and will be published in paperback form next month. The diaries cover the duration of World War II and provide an unusual perspective on

the conflict – because Lindgren was living in her native Sweden, a country that remained officially neutral throughout the war. When Lindgren made the very conscious decision to document the war at its outbreak in 1939 she, of course, had no sense that she would still be writing some six years later. She offers some eloquent political commentary as her bewilderment and disgust at the violence pours off the page. Also, though, there are more touching domestic moments as Lindgren describes the day-to-day routine of her own family’s wartime experience. When it emerged in 2002, The Story of Lucy Gault (Penguin, £8.99) seemed a rare publication for William Trevor in that it was a novel rather than a short story collection. Trevor, who died earlier this year, was most renowned for his short stories, often being mentioned alongside Chekhov and Alice Munro as one of the finest proponents of that form. He had an incredible ability to capture moments of emotional turmoil or dramatic tension between characters in his short stories so that certain scenes live long in the reader’s memory. In fact, in between all those short story collections, he wrote 21 novels and was in the running for the Booker Prize five times, including for Lucy Gault which begins in troubled 1920s Ireland. I remember reading

it back when it was first published (perhaps while the good folk at Bath Life HQ were nervously typesetting that first issue) and being struck by the book’s immediate dramatic suspense. While the plot’s details have faded from my memory with time, the young eponymous heroine’s horror at the family being forced to move from their coastal Irish home is still fresh in my mind – as are the far-reaching consequences of her rebellion against the move. When popping back in time, it’s always fun to consider some then-futuristic dystopian fiction just to check out whether anything predicted has come to pass. Fortunately, we’re still 16 years too early to figure out if the plot of Metro 2033 by Dmitry Glukhovsky (Orion, £8.99) is to be proved prescient. Certainly the set-up seems a bit far-fetched – it’s all set in the aftermath of a nuclear World War Three that began in the 2010s. Oh, wait... Well never mind, imagine World War III has indeed come to pass and the inhabitants of Moscow have had to flee into the metro system and build a way of life down there with each station becoming its own state. Twenty years on and rats and mushrooms proliferate and natural light does not; and the survivors have long since lost all contact with any life that might remain on the surface. Against this already desperate backdrop, protagonist Artyom is tasked with travelling across the underground city to deliver a warning about a further fresh threat to their broken society. Metro 2033 was published online in 2002 – a relatively innovative occurrence back then – and only made it into English language physical book form in 2010, at the same time as the video game of the original story was released! And to think, it used to be just hardbacks then paperbacks. We can only imagine what formats we’ll be describing when Bath Life turn 30 – but mark my words, there’ll still be wonderful physical books at the heart of it all!

Nic Bottomley is the general manager of Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights, 14/15 John Street, Bath; 01225 331155; www.mrbsemporium.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 145

FILM

ARTS

Clockwise, from left: The Party starts off celebratory, and ends tragically; Goodbye Christopher Robin depicts the relationship between author A.A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin; Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford star in Blade Runner 2049; expect murder mayhem and misogyny in the Tom Hiddleston movie High Rise

LONG LIVE THE LITTLE As of next month, I will be passing the torch to a new columnist at the Little. But first, here are my on-screen gem recommendations By J E N N I F E R J E N N I NGS W R IGH T

irstly, big hearty congratulations to Bath Life for 15 glorious years. For the past 12 of those I’ve enjoyed every minute of bringing you the latest quality fare from Bath’s best arthouse cinema. Secondly, and sadly, this is my last column, as I’m off to sunnier climes (well, the south coast at any rate) far away from the buzz of the big screen. I’ll miss it terribly of course, but the Little Theatre Cinema will continue, I’m sure, to provide all that is great in film. Pushing on, here is a taste of such gems. The Party is a smart, fast-paced, star-studded film which starts off on a celebratory note and ends in bloody tragedy. I was trying to think of a genre with which to categorise the film and came up with ‘dinner-party dystopia’ (which could also embrace Carnage, Peter’s Friends and possibly Abigail’s Party, with a tad less Demis Roussos and cheesy balls). Janet (Kristin Scott-Thomas) has reached the apex of her political career and along with her hangdog husband Bill (Timothy Spall), plan to celebrate the achievement with a few choice friends. Explosive revelations during the evening take everyone by surprise and what follows is a hilarious comedy with calamitous outcomes in which love, friendships and political

convictions are called into question. Expect a funny feast of sharp-witted peppy one-liners. Now on to one of the more keenly awaited sequels of recent years. Now, I know a lot of you may be breathless with anticipation regarding Gnomeo and Juliet 2, and a fine piece of work it will no doubt be, but that’s nothing compared to this. The big one. A genre-defining classic. What the world’s been waiting for. Ryan. Harrison. (That’s Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford. Not Meg Ryan and Rex Harrison.) Together as replicant hunters in a desolate future landscape populated by desperates and psychotics. What I’m talking about of course is Blade Runner 2049. If you weren’t up to date with things, you might reasonably surmise that this is 2049th in a series of sequels but no, you’d be wrong. 2049 is the year in which the action is set, fully 30 years after Ridley Scott’s seminal original. This time it’s Denis Villeneuve at the helm and he maintains the feel and tone of the first one, but with added, well, added Ryan Gosling. I’ve loved Mr Gosling since Lars and the Real Girl, which we showed years ago at the Little to rave responses from me and the other two people who saw it. Lovely Ryan plays a Blade Runner (a police officer charged with detecting rogue replicants and bringing

them to summary and terminal justice) by the beautiful and very poetic name of K. He’s trying really hard for a promotion so they’ll call him Special K. This bit might not be true. Anyway, he discovers something shocking that will throw a malfunctioning world into further chaos, and this leads him to set off to find his predecessor Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford). Incidentally, now that Harrison Ford’s resurrected his three biggest roles (Indiana, Han and now Rick), reports suggest that he’s looking around for what else is in his locker that might be due another go, including the fabled role of Tom Brannigan in Petrocelli, and ‘Big hunk’ in Ironside. Anyway, nice to see him back, and what a corking return this is. Continuing the very popular Museum of Bath Architecture Brutalism season, we are super chuffed to have Dr Amy Frost with us once again, introducing High Rise, director Ben Wheatley’s adaptation of JG Ballard’s characteristically nightmarish book, previously believed ‘unfilmable’. The future Mr Bond (one hopes), Tom Hiddleston stars as Laing, a young doctor, moving in to a modern apartment block in suburban 1975 London. Among the inevitable class struggles, what we witness is nothing short of mass debauchery, leading to murder, mayhem and misogyny. Try saying that after a few drinks, of which along with drugs, also feature quite heavily. The savagery does calm down towards the end, mainly as most people lie dead. That’s highrise livin’ for ya. Finally, very aptly, Goodbye Christopher Robin is the moving insight into the relationship between beloved children’s author A.A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin. Set in the gloomy aftermath of WWI, it was Christopher’s toys that inspired the wonderful world of Winnie the Pooh and all his gang. His creations helped mitigate post-war sadness, as the family, including Olive the nanny, are swept up in the success of the books. Christopher Robin is a little boy (who, by the way, is remarkably well cast and just as I would imagine him) who just wants to play with his dad, and not have the eyes of the entire world on him. A heart-warming and visually splendid film about one of Britain’s beloved institutions. Well that’s all from me. To quote from one of my favourite films: Good morning, and in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night! It’s been a real pleasure. Long live the Little.

The Little Theatre, 1-2 St Michael’s Place 01225 466822; www.picturehouses.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 147

SMARTY DRY CLEANING Wesley & Alison welcome you to use our extensive facilities, whether practicing for game shooting or trying a new clay discipline - everyone is welcome

FREE COLLECTION DELIVERY SERVICE Subject to terms and conditions

Smarty, Bath 11 River Street Place, Julian Road, Bath, BA1 2RS

Smarty, Bradford on Avon Elms Cross Shopping Centre (next door to Sainsbury’s), BA15 2AZ

01225 444666

01225 862964

www.smartydrycleaning.co.uk

www.smartyofbradford.co.uk

Lessons available by appointment. Beginners packages from £32pp incl. 25 shots. Open 4 days a week - Snack bar available. Gunsmith on site. GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE Brook Bank, Rodney Stoke, Cheddar, BS27 3UJ Tel: 01749 871055 brookbankshooting.co.uk ba

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E F I N A N C E

CONCIERGE CASH MANAGEMENT SERVICE FROM SAVINGS CHAMPION Bath-based SAVINGS CHAMPION can help you supersize your cash savings

o one likes to miss out, but if you have not taken stock of your cash deposits for some time, then the chances are that you are missing out on more interest than you might realise. Using the Concierge Cash Management Service from Savings Champion could significantly increase the interest that you earn.

WHAT IS CASH MANAGEMENT?

Keeping track of large cash savings can be difficult, with many savers guilty of leaving substantial amounts with their high street bank, earning as little as 0.01 per cent. Having the peace of mind that your money is being managed by your own dedicated savings adviser, to improve the interest earned and the security of your cash, is the beauty of the Savings Champion Concierge Cash Management Service. While you retain complete control over your portfolio of cash accounts, we will manage all the research and as much of the administration process as possible to ensure you are getting the most interest on your cash deposits, while ensuring your money is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

HOW WE MAKE YOUR MONEY WORK FOR YOU

Review – we review the whole market and make recommendations based on meticulous research and the amount of liquidity and security you want for your money. A bespoke portfolio is then created which will show where you could increase returns, after fees. Administration -– we do as much of the

“MANY SAVERS LEAVE SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS WITH THEIR HIGH STREET BANK EARNING AS LITTLE AS 0.01 PER CENT”

Business Guide download: https://goo.gl/fVH87b Individual Guide download: https://goo.gl/5W8Kfo

administration as possible for you, including completing application forms. Alert and Monitor – once your accounts are opened, we continue to monitor them on your behalf, so we can inform you at your quarterly review when a better deal is available, and make sure your money is moved to maintain the best possible rates of return.

SECURITY

All accounts are opened in your name and only you have access to the money in those accounts. Savings Champion does not hold any client money, or hold sensitive information relating to clients’ saving accounts. Your funds will be spread over as many providers as required to ensure protection under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

maximise the return on your money while you run your business. Charities – all charities have a responsibility to ensure that any money donated is used as efficiently as possible. Many hold large cash sums and so will benefit from the Concierge Cash Management Service. Trusts – trustees have a specific set of obligations put upon them under the Trustees Act 2000. The Concierge Cash Management Service helps trustees to meet these obligations by monitoring all accounts that are being held by the trust to ensure they are providing the best returns and by spreading the funds across a range of accounts.

WHO CAN WE HELP?

Personal savers – whether you have ongoing savings, have recently received an inheritance, made a lump sum or retired, we can help you make your cash work harder for you. Business – most companies hold a significant amount of money, we can simply and costeffectively manage those cash assets for you to

To find out how to give your savings a boost call us today on 0800 321 3582. For more information about our Concierge Cash Management Service, email concierge@savingschampion.co.uk or visit savingschampion.co.uk/concierge/

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 149

150 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

R E S TA U R A N T

FOOD

Woods

We revisit a restaurant that has become rather special to us, as it’s the first one we ever reviewed when we launched Bath Life 15 years ago… By L I SA E VA NS Photo g raph s by T I M WOOL F

s this issue celebrates 15 years of Bath Life, we thought it was only fitting that we return to the very first restaurant we ever reviewed on these pages: the Bath institution that is Woods. As I had a spare 10 minutes before I made my way over to the brasserie, I dashed across to Taste of Bath’s business gifting launch celebration which had attracted the city’s foodies in their droves. So, when it came time to say my premature goodbyes, this was a perfect audience. “Woods?!” they all delightedly replied, and then came the knowing smiles and the fond mutterings. The restaurant, you see, has an adoring fan base citywide. That probably has a great deal to do with the ebullient owners, David Price and his French wife Claude, who have run the restaurant together since 1979. The couple still come in almost every day to get their hands dirty, and, this very week, they are celebrating 38 years in business. With new restaurants popping up everywhere in Bath, keeping up with the Joneses (what with all the curious flavour combinations, cool new trends and absurd alternatives to plates surfacing continuously) must be gruelling for them. All those years searching around for cracks in the zeitgeist, inventing dishes no one has come across before. But, it turns out, Woods has never veered into these competitive grounds, and has, instead, preferred to stick with tradition and with dishes that have been fully explored and perfected. “We’ll be the first to admit it’s rather classical here,” says David. “But it’s the way we, and our customers, we hope, like it. It’s honest and real; we don’t want it to become something it’s not. It’s a place that welcomes people from all walks of life – all ages, all dresses. “It’s not somewhere that offers nouvelle cuisine, it’s a relaxed, family-run restaurant,” continues David, whose son and son-in-law – alongside head chef Stuart Ash who’s been at Woods for 25 years – are busy in the kitchen as we speak. “Our customers know what they’re going to get, and we’re often booked for special occasions because of this. A group

THIS IS NOT

INNOVATIVE FOOD, BUT THAT’S EXACTLY THE POINT

The very first restaurant review we published 15 years ago featured Woods

from America has visited regularly for years, and we have a former employee – who worked with us 30 years ago – dining with us tonight for his birthday.” There’s a formal edge here, with starched white tablecloths, but the vibe is all very elbows-on-thetable, and the menus offer an unpretentious selection of home cooking – without unnecessary theatre. The atmosphere on this Thursday night is animated and jovial; there’s lots of laughter, big tables of families, and you get a sense that the diners have left their woes at the door. Choosing from the à la carte section of the menu, I start with a colourful White Lake goats’ cheese mousse, watermelon and Kalamata olive salad topped with ‘Woods vinaigrette’. There is salt and sweet and juiciness. My dining partner opts for the roasted tomato and red pepper soup – unusual for him as he’d usually go straight for the meat, and there’s everything from rillette of chicken with apricot and spiced aubergine, to Spanish cured meats here – but he assures me ‘he’s heard good things’ about this soup (from the diner opposite). The zingy, fresh choice doesn’t disappoint. From choices such as grilled Toulouse sausages with mustard and leek sauce; pan-fried salmon with vermouth; and veal chop with brandy sauce, I select the comforting, buttery linguine with pine nuts and coarse pesto. My comrade goes for the seared fillet steak, rare, which sits pertly on a plate by itself, needing no other adornment than a flood of orange-hued peppercorn sauce – so reduced it’s sticky, and so rich you’d bathe in it if you could. The lubricated meat comes with a side dish of broccoli, carrots and new potatoes. This is not innovative food, but that’s exactly the point. Although tempted by the English-meets-French cheeseboard, we both choose the moist chocolate sponge for pudding. It exhales warm, sweet breaths as you bite in, and the rubbly ice cream which crowns it adds a crunch with its salted caramel fragments. The only thing that could make this dessert better is if the liquid chocolate sauce was molten hot. With its Georgian elegance and perfectly poised, practised dishes, Woods has created an enviable reputation as one of Bath’s best independent restaurants. We, and many other locals, it seems, regard it as a place of safety and comfortability; they’ve been doing things simply here for almost four decades, and they do them proudly. Well, if it ain’t broke…

DINING DETAILS Woods, 9 – 13 Alfred Street, Bath, BA1 2QX; 01225 314812; www.woodsrestaurant.com Prices Starters £5.50 – £10.95; mains £13.95 – £28.95; desserts £6.50 – £9.50 Drinks A good selection of wines are on offer including some simple, robust country choices and finer wines – all of which can be bought by the case though Woods Wine Company Service/ atmosphere Charming, attentive and professional

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 151

BY SOFITEL

“A date with history in an enchanting setting in Bath”

Francis Hotel Bath, Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HH | Tel: 01225 424 105 | enquiries@francishotel.com | www.mgallery.com

A Christmas Party to remember at the Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel Celebrate your Christmas Party with friends or work collegues at the Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel. We’ll prepare three fabulous courses to tease your taste buds before the DJ takes the reigns to �ill the dance �loor all the way to Midnight. SILVER PARTY NIGHTS Dates throughout December 2017 £29.95 per adult Stay overnight from £145.00 per room 6.30pm – Bar opens; 7pm – Dinner served; 12am – Carriages Private events catered for, minimum 50 guests

GOLD PARTY NIGHTS Friday 17th and 24th; Saturday 18th and 25th November 2017 Dates throughout December 2017 £40.00 per adult Stay overnight from £145.00 per room 6.30pm – Bar opens; 7pm – Dinner served; 12am – Carriages Private parties catered for, minimum 70 guests For bookings or enquiries please contact 01225 476 892

M A C D O N A L D B AT H S PA H O T E L

Sydney Road, Bath BA2 6JF 01225 444 424  www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk

The atmospheric Roman Baths

Think Christmas parties are so passé? With a former air raid shelter for a venue, and knicker-making on offer, they don’t have to be By SA M A N T H A WA L K E R

160 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

PHOTO BY PAOLO FERLA

’Tis the SEASON

CHRISTMAS PA R T I E S

We’re already in the party mood

All that glitters at the Ring O Bells

Terrine time at The Lamb on the Strand

e have to ask, just how do you organise the Christmas party and make sure it gets a “Ho, ho, ho” from everyone involved? That’s a tough challenge and, while we love a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings as much as Santa does, it warms our hearts to find that, while the party does have to go with a swing, it doesn’t have to be completely traditional. That means you can think outside the box, choose a beautiful venue – something Bath has no shortage of – and do something a little different when it comes to entertainment. “The Roman Baths is the only hot spring in Britain, and the paving surrounding them where guests gather is 2,000 years old,” says Emily Hughes, marketing manager for Bath’s Historic Venues. And if you choose to have your bash at the Bath Assembly Rooms or The Pump Room, you’ll be in buildings once frequented by some rather esteemed visitors. “The Assembly Rooms were visited by Charles Dickens and Jane Austen, who also frequented The Pump Room, and house the finest example of Whitefriars crystal chandeliers, which The White House offered to buy in 1950, but was, thankfully, refused,” added Emily.

THE WHITE HOUSE

WANTED

TO BUY THE ASSEMBLY

ROOMS’ WHITEFRIARS CRYSTAL

CHANDELIERS – THANKFULLY IT WAS

REFUSED

No doubt the Americans were stunned by the light reflecting off the stunning chandeliers, adding sparkle and bling which is especially welcome at Christmas time. “It’s amazing what a little light can do,” says Spencer Hancock, head of visitor and commercial operations at The Holburne Museum on Great Pulteney Street. “Using affordable LED lighting, we can transform our space and make it really atmospheric for a party. Some companies have used their corporate colours, while wilder colours can create a very different feel. “We work with all our clients to encourage them to think outside the box and, although traditional Christmas sit-down meals are available, we try and inspire our clients to introduce things for their guests that they can’t get anywhere else in Bath. We pride ourselves on fresh contemporary events within a historical and cultural setting.” Of course, the party also needs lots of fun – and we don’t mean any naughty goings-on between colleagues or less-than-stellar cracker jokes. What then, we ask ourselves, could give us more laughs than a comedy party? “They’re perfect for those looking for something a little out of the ordinary,” says Ellie Rogers, Komedia Bath’s press and marketing officer. “Each of our Krater Christmas parties comes complete with an all-star comedy line-up, an award-winning, indulgent three-course meal, and dancing to floor-filler classics until the early hours. “We cater for couples celebrating together, to work parties of up to 250 people, and everything in between.” We don’t want to make do and mend at Christmas, but we do like the idea of getting creative at The Makery in Bath. Its parties mean guests can make something to take home with w them; and it’s fully licensed and can provide www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 161

CHRISTMAS PA R T I E S

either a hot or cold buffet for some festal dining. “We can make it festive, and you can make anything from knickers to lampshades,” says events co-ordinator Poppy Baker. “Or we could theme it to a party, make selfie-booth props, or wreaths and decorations. “We could go on...” For Trowbridge eatery The Lamb on the Strand, Christmas is a chance to test diners’ grey matter – and competetive spirit. “We run a Christmas quiz for each booking, for which the prize is another party for the whole group in January or February,” says co-owner Ian Buckingham. “It’s the perfect way to get over winter blues and, on Friday nights, we also have a dancefloor.” Good food and delicious drinks, of course, are key and, at Widcombe’s the Ring O Bells, owner David Giddings says there is a very special wine we really ought to try. “To match the drinks with the food offerings, we have worked closely with our suppliers to get the very best selection of wines to complement the menu,” says David. “Our standout wine, in my opinion, is a showstopping Reisling from an incredible, awardwinning producer from Washington State, USA.” For more intimate affairs with a refined backdrop, then Bath’s Victoria Art Gallery is an ethereal choice for art-lovers. “Or you could consider our terrace dining option at the Roman Baths – only available to the public on various dates in the run-up to Christmas when you can dine in smaller groups with friends, overlooking the Great Bath,” adds Emily of Bath’s Historic Venues. “Christmas in Bath is magical, and our incredibly popular seasonal parties are a fabulous way to celebrate with friends, family and colleagues at the venues for which this beautiful city is so famous.” 162 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

PHOTO BY PAOLO FERLA

Enjoy some Christmas cheer

Light up, light up at The Holburne

THE CULTURAL ONES The Holburne: “Our venue becomes exclusive to you, which makes for a really special occasion,” says says Spencer Hancock. “Our exclusive caterers, Eat 5 Star, will work with you to produce menus to suit your needs. We like to introduce a little bit of fun into the menu, this could be a bespoke cocktail or a food market rather than a standard buffet. “Our Garden Café makes the perfect space for a Christmas party, and we happily cater for up to 100 guests.” From £65pp. www.holburne.org

Roman Baths, Pump Rooms and Bath Assembly Rooms. As well as offering bespoke and private parties over the festive period, there are also four shared Christmas parties throughout December at the Roman Baths and Pump Room. Guests can mingle around the atmospheric Baths for drinks, followed by dinner, live music and dancing until late. Christmas Rocks at the Assembly Rooms is on 21 December, with two live bands. Various prices. www.bathvenues.co.uk

THE ‘I HOPE NO ONE GETS SEASICK’ ONE Actually, you don’t need to find your sealegs for party boat The Penny Lane as all Christmas parties are nonsailing. Guests can enjoy the heated, covered deck, a three-course meal and disco with DJ; £40pp. www.thepennylane.co.uk

THE KNOWLEDGEABLE ONE Bath Escape is perfect for the office boffin and those who want to test their brain cells ahead of the postChristmas slump. Teams will be locked into the interactive rooms, until they escape – or an hour passes. Then toddle off to a local restaurant for a well-earned Christmas meal (not included). £59 – £89 for groups up to six. www.bathescape.co.uk

THE SHAKEN BUT NOT STIRRED ONES Get into the party spirit with a cocktail-making class at the Roman Baths Kitchen – Christmas cocktails, naturally. You’ll be guided by an expert bartender to create three cocktails, all set in your own private room. Or, you could opt for a Cocktails & Canapés session and be served five canapés. The uber-cool Sub 13 also has a cocktail masterclass. A one-hour session will see a party learning how to master two signature cocktails – plus fun and games for good measure. £25 – £35pp at the Roman Bath Kitchen. From £25pp at Sub13.

THE ‘CAN YOU HEAR THE ROAR?’ ONE Clear out the cobwebs with by cheering on Bath when they take on Wasps on 30 December. Bath Rugby tell us to expect a Christmas party with a big difference; a three-course meal and the chance to hear from players, both past and present. Various packages. www.bathrugby.com

THE ‘CRAFTY SEW AND SEW’ ONE Bath’s The Makery is holding lovely Christmas parties so guests can get all creative and have something to take home with them. There are catering options and it’s fully licensed. £20 – £45pp. www.themakery.co.uk

THE SLIPPERY ONE There’s no doubt that Bath on Ice’s festive setting will help us get in the mood for Yule. Its champagne experience will see guests enjoying ice skating, drinks, and gourmet fries and a private member of staff when the group is 10 or more. £29pp. www.bathonice.com

THE FUNNY ONE Stand-up comedy and a sit-down meal – perfect for plenty of Christmas cheer that you won’t get from a cracker. Various prices.

THE ‘AS COOL AS YOU LIKE’ ONE Venture into Igloo and you’ll find a vaulted space with four private booths. There are even different set designs for private hire so it can be personalised. And did you know the space was last used as an air raid shelter during World War II? Various prices.

www.komedia.co.uk

www.abbeyhotel.co.uk

www.romanbathkitchen. co.uk; www.sub13.net

For more, see our Christmas party directory on page 164

CHRISTMAS PA R T I E S

The LIST In Bath

Apex City of Bath Hotel James St W, Bath 01225 418500 www.apexhotels.co.uk Circo Bar 15 – 19 George Street, Bath 01225 585100 www.circobar.co.uk

More local options to get the party started...

Hudson Steakhouse 14 London Street, Bath 01225 332323 www.hudsonsteakhouse.co.uk

Tapas Revolution 20A St Lawrence Street, Bath 01225 312917 www.tapasrevolution.com

Lucknam Park Colerne, Wiltshire 01225 742777 www.lucknampark.co.uk

King William 36 Thomas Street Bath; 01225 428096 www.kingwilliampub.com

Victoria Pub and Kitchen Upper Bristol Road, Bath 01225 422563 www.victoriabath.co.uk

Orchardleigh House Orchardleigh Park, Frome 01373 472550 www.orchardleigh.net

Woods Restaurant 9 – 13 Alfred Street; Bath 01225 314812 www.woodsrestaurant.com

The Pear Tree Inn Top Lane, Whitely, Wiltshire 01225 704966 www.peartreewhitley.co.uk

Koh Thai Tapas Circus Café & Restaurant 36 Broad Street, Bath 34 Brock Street, Bath 01225 311232; www.koh-thai.co.uk 01225 466020; www.thecircuscafe andrestaurant.co.uk Mandalyns 13 Lansdown Road, Bath; 01225 Combe Grove Manor 425403; www.mandalyns.co.uk Brassknocker Hill, Bath 01225 834644 Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel www.combegrove.com Sydney Road, Bath 0344 879 9106 The Corkage www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk 132 Walcot Street, Bath 01225 422577 The Mint Room www.corkagebath.com Longmead Gospel Hall Lower Bristol Road, Bath The Curfew Inn www.themintroom.co.uk 11 Cleveland Place, Bath 01225 446656 01225 313747 www.thecurfewbath.co.uk Number 15 Great Pulteney 15 Great Pulteney Street, Bath The Eastern Eye 01225 807015 8A Quiet Street, Bath www.no15greatpulteney.co.uk 01225 422323 www.easterneye.com Peking Restaurant 1 – 2 New Street The Francis Hotel Bath; 01225 466377 6 – 12 Queen Square, Bath www.pekingrestaurantbath.co.uk 01225 424105 www.francishotel.com Pintxo 31 Barton Street, Bath The Gainsborough 01225 463861 Beau Street, Bath; 01225 358888 www.pintxobath.co.uk www.thegainsborough bathspa.co.uk The Pump Room Abbey Chambers Garricks Head Church Street, Bath 7 –8 St John’s Road, Bath 01225 444477 01225 318368 www.romanbaths.co.uk/ www.garricksheadpub.com pump-room-restaurant

Out of town

Allington Farm Shop Allington Bar Farm, Allington Chippenham, Wilts; 01249 658112 www.allingtonfarmshop.co.uk Bowood Hotel Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort, Derry Hill, Calne 01249 822228 www.bowood.org/bowood-hotel The Castle 10 Mount Pleasant, Bradford-onAvon; 01225 865657 www.flatcappers.co.uk/thecastle-inn The Catherine Wheel 39 High Street, Marshfield Chippenham; 01225 892220 www.thecatherinewheel.co.uk Centurion Hotel Charlton Lane Midsomer Norton Radstock, Somerset; 01761 417711 www.centurionhotel.co.uk Hartley Farm Shop Winsley, Bradford on Avon 01225 864948 www.hartley-farm.co.uk

The Herd 12A Argyle Street, Bath 01225 316583 www.theherdrestaurant.co.uk

Ring O Bells 10 Widcombe Parade Bath; 01225 448870 www.ringobellswidcombe.co.uk

The Lamb on the Strand 99 The Strand Semington, Trowbridge 01380 870263 www.thelambonthestrand.co.uk

The Holburne Museum Great Pulteney Street, Bath 01225 388569 www.holburne.org

Royal Crescent Hotel 16 Royal Crescent, Bath 01225 823333 www.royalcrescent.co.uk

The Longs Arms Upper South Wraxall, Wilts 01225 864450 www.thelongsarms.com

164 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Sign of the Angel 6 Church Street Lacock Chippenham 01249 730230 www.signoftheangel.co.uk

Christmas party caterers and other services Guildhall Deli Guildhall Market High Street 01225 427195 www.theguildhalldeli.co.uk

Great Western Wine Wells Road Bath 01225 322810 www.greatwesternwine.co.uk Larkhall Butchers 1 Lambridge Buildings Bath 01225 313987 www.larkhallbutchers.co.uk Riverford Organic 01225 437438 www.riverford.co.uk Snap in a Box 07720 704690 www.snapinabox.co.uk Taste of Bath 01225 683021 www.taste-of.co.uk The Tasting Room 6 Green Street Bath; 01225 483070 www.tastingroom.co.uk

VOW

bi-m NOW on th

Fortune Inn

Chinese Restaurant & Traditional Pub

Christm bookin as now be gs in taken g

M AG A ZINE

The South West’s new wedding bible PICK Up your free copy now

Superior Chinese, Szechuan & Authentic Chinese Cuisine within a fully air conditioned restaurant near the heart of Wiltshire market town, Chippenham.

T Follow us @VowMag Function room available with capacity for up to 50 people From the makers of Crumbs, Bath Life, Bristol Life, Cardiff Life, Exeter Living and Salisbury Life Ad enquiries: Pat.White@mediaclash.co.uk; Editorial: Matt.Bielby@mediaclash.co.uk; 01225 475800

115 Sheldon Road, Chippenham, SN14 ODA 01249 661382 | www.fortuneinn.co

THE RUSTY STAG

OPEN NOW

The Street, Broughton Gifford, Wiltshire SN12 8PN 01225 308541 Open Tuesday – Sunday • Lunch & Dinner

pin-cho (noun.) a small snack eaten in bars

pin-cho (noun) a small snack eaten in bars

BASQUE IN THE AMBIENCE With a laid back feel and a sunny garden, it’s the perfect place to spend time with friends, sampling the best sherries, wines and food we could find from our favourite parts of Spain. For parties over 8 we offer a £15 mixed tapas menu, to include our most popular dishes.

Wines start from £19.95 a bottle.

Pintxo de Bath, 31, Barton Street, Bath, BA1 1HG. | Email bath@pintxo.co.uk | 01225 463861

LE P M

SA I

A M T S

R CH

N ME

£22.50 FOR THREE COURSES £17.50 FOR TWO COURSES PRE-BOOKED CRACKERS INCLUDED!

STARTERS

Flaked smoked salmon, apple & celeriac slaw w/ toasted walnuts (gf) Pork belly, pumpkin puree & caramelised apple (gf) Grilled goats cheese w/ marinated beetroot (v)

MAIN COURSES

Book your Christmas meal now at

The Catherine Wheel Marshfield, Bath SN14 8LR 01225 892220 roo@thecatherinewheel.co.uk www.thecatherinewheel.co.uk

Roast turkey breast filled with cranberry stuffing, wrapped in bacon, with a light red wine jus Baked sweet potato, quinoa, tomato & spinach salad, popped black beans & basil dressing (v, gf) Pan-fried cod w/ chorizo & puy lentils (gf)

PUDDINGS Traditional Christmas pudding w/ brandy sauce Lemon panna cotta w/ mixed berries & shortbread biscuit (gf) Chocolate torte w/ crushed amaretti biscuits Available from Friday 1st December to Sunday 31st December (excl 25th & 26th Dec)

Celebration Menu 2 or 3 course, £23 or £28 per person

EAT, DRINK & BE MERRY

Top Lane, Whitley, Wiltshire SN12 8QX 01225 704966 T f @peartreewhitley

www.peartreewhitley.co.uk

Christmas at the Holburne Book your Christmas party at the Holburne Museum for an electric mix of celebration and culture. We can offer: • Cocktail Parties • Champagne Celebrations • Unique 3 Course Menus Meet with one of our team today and we will help you create your perfect party. Contact us at privatehire@holburne.org or on 01225 388560

Award-Winning, Family Run Farm Shop Established for over 30 years Selling Quality Local Produce Open Daily 9am – 6pm (10am – 5pm on Sundays) HOME & LOCALLY REARED FRESH MEAT, POULTRY & GAME. HOMEMADE SAUSAGES, BURGERS & FAGGOTS

Christmas Meat Orders Now being taken LOCAL CHEESES & HOME COOKED MEATS LOCALLY GROWN VEGETABLES, FRUIT & SALADS HOMEMADE CAKES & PIES LOCALLY MADE CHOCOLATES & FUDGE FINE WINE, LOCAL ALE & CIDER PRESERVES & CHUTNEYS GIFT HAMPERS Allington Bar Farm, Chippenham, SN14 6LJ

www.allingtonfarmshop.co.uk Tel: 01249 658112

THE GARDEN

CAFE - BAR - GRILL

Quality * honest * independent

THE GARDEN TROWBRIDGE TOWN CENTRE TEL: 01225 767511 chippenham town centre TEL: 01249 465672 NEW & INDEPENDENT BAR & RESTAURANT Visit us: www.thegardenuk.co.uk Follow us: /thegardentrowbridge /thegardenchippenham

Sexy time with Louis and Martin 1 liliput Court, Bath, BA1 1ND • hideoutbath.co.uk • info@hideoutbath.co.uk

Bath’s finest modern Indian Restaurant Where our food and drink speaks for itself…

C H I N E S E R E S TA U R A N T

Family run and providing quality food and service since 1985

Christmas bookings now being taken 1-2 New Street, Kingsmead Square, Bath BA1 2AF Tel: 01225 466377 www.pekingrestaurantbath.co.uk a @PekingBath

pekingrestaurant

Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday 12 noon – 2.00pm and 6.00pm – 10.30pm | Closed Sundays.

Rooftop Bar Opening Soon… Longmead Gospel Hall, Lower Bristol Road, Bath BA2 3EB Tel: 01225 446656 12-16 Clifton Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1AF Tel: 01173 291300 Email: info@themintroom.co.uk www.themintroom.co.uk

Restaurant • Bar • Café • Deli Tuesday to Saturday – lunch and dinner Bar open from 11am for drinks and coffees CONGRATULATIONS TO BATH LIFE ON THEIR 15TH BIRTHDAY Woods is available for private parties, corporate entertainment, press launches, weddings and family celebrations. Private room seats 36-40 people. The whole restaurant can accommodate 120 people. Party menu £35 per head

DINE AT WOODS

Lunch and early dinner special 2 courses £18.95 • 3 courses £23 Lunch: 12 noon - 2:30pm Early dinner: 5:30pm - 7pm Tables up to 6 people

SEAFOOD EXTRAVAGANZA

Every Friday Lunch and dinner A la carte also available 24 hours notice required to order lobster, oysters, Dover sole and turbot, subject to availability. All our fish is delivered daily from Brixham

SUNDAY LUNCH

1st Sunday of the month 2 courses £18.95 • 3 courses £23 Traditional roast. A la carte also available

OCTOBER SPECIAL

Featuring 6oz aged Sirloin steak, fries & salad £9.95 Tuesday to Thursday 12 noon - 2.30pm • 5.30pm to 7pm

CHRISTMAS AT WOODS 3 courses £35 See our website for the full menu 9-13 Alfred St. Bath BA1 2QX • 01225 314812 woodsinbath@gmail.com

www.woodsrestaurant.com

Christmas for the curious

Christmas parties Abbey style!

The Abbey Hotel is wellknown for its spirit of entertaining, so let us be your hosts. Whether you’re planning a seasonal shindig, large or small, we can help you to plan the perfect party. ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ TO BOOK OR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 01225 805895 OR EMAIL EVENTS@ ABBEYHOTELBATH.CO.UK

Looking for a memorable venue for your seasonal drinks soirée or festive dinner? Our exuberant event spaces come crammed with personality and charm, to ensure your party will be talked about for weeks to come. To book, or to talk through a bespoke package, just for you, simply get in touch on enquiries@no15greatpulteney.co.uk, call us on 01225 800509 or visit www.no15greatpulteney.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK W H AT ’ S M A K I N G T H E G O U R M E T N E W S I N B AT H

Artist’s impression of The Ivy Bath Brasserie

PHOTO BY NICK COLE

All they need is a dollop of cream and some jam

REAL SCONE KID

British, with a number of tables kept unreserved so diners can just drop in. The kitchen will be overseen by executive chef Sean Burbidge, with the restaurant’s menu incorporating a number of Ivy classics, including eggs Benedict, shepherd’s pie and chocolate bomb with hot salted caramel. The brasserie is owned by the Ivy Collection, which has opened a number of eaterys around the country, including a well-received one in Bristol.

A competition to find the baker of the best scones in Bath takes place on 6 October at the 3 Café & Kitchen. The café opened this year at Three Ways School in Odd Down, to give young people with special needs work experience and training in a real-life setting. The competition will see a panel of experts sampling, sizing up and examining an array of scones – both sweet and savoury – with the winner crowned Bath Best Scone Maker. Head teacher Jo Stoaling says, “We are looking forward to this opportunity to showcase our new café as part of The Great Bath Feast. Our young people love television programmes like The Great British Bake Off and this is an opportunity for them to be part of a community event, showing what they are capable of and inviting the community into our school.” The café has locally sourced and homemade breakfasts, lunches, coffees and scones on the menu. The Scone Off is part of The Great Bath Feast, and entrants are asked to register and make a £2.50 donation towards the café.

For more: www.theivybathbrasserie.com

For more: www.threeways.co.uk

The Ivy’s chocolate bomb

OPENING TIME The Ivy Bath Brasserie is to open on 11 October following an extensive and painstaking refurbishment. The new Milsom Street eatery is housed in the former NatWest bank, which closed its doors in May. But its Grade-II listed features have been retained, including the beautiful high ceilings in the former banking hall. The restaurant will be open every day, and will serve breakfast, afternoon tea, snacks and dinner. The Ivy Bath Brasserie’s menu is modern

ring

bells

10 Widcombe Parade, Bath BA2 4JT

Under the new direction of chef-patron Dave Giddings, the Ring O Bells will be launching its new ‘Small Plates & Steaks’ menu enabling our customers to enjoy the high-quality food they have become accustomed to within a laid-back, social-dining environment. We are also able to offer... n Bespoke menus for large events n A large function room with private bar

n Live jazz every Sunday from 7pm - 9pm n Catering for parties for up to 100 guests

For bookings: e-mail: contact@ringobellswidcombe.co.uk

Tel: 01225 448870 | www.ringobellswidcombe.co.uk

Quality food freshly prepared for you

Book your Christmas Party today! Friday Night Disco Nights Dinner & Disco

99 The Strand, Semington, Trowbridge, BA14 6LL

t 01380 870263

e restaurant@lambonthestrand.co.uk www.thelambonthestrand.co.uk

The

Guildhall Delicatessen

Situated in Bathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famous indoor market We now stock a wide range of vegan, vegetarian and meat based products as well as delicious cakes and Bath Buns. Ideal for lunches, picnics or any time snacks. Come and order you picnic and collect it when you need it. We can even cater for small business lunches. Our range includes: Vegan, lamb or chicken samosas, veggie or meat pasties, bhajis, vegan or pork sausage rolls and veggie or pork scotch eggs. We also and stock a range of speciality scotch eggs, pork pies and vegetarian quiches. Why not add a Lovely juice drink to your picnic.

Open Mon - Sat, 9.30 - 17.00

8 Guildhall Market, Bath BA2 4AW â&#x20AC;˘ Tel: 01225 427195 email: guildhall-deli@hotmail.co.uk twitter: @GuildhallDeli

GREAT BURGERS FRESH LOCALLY SOURCED PRODUCE DELICIOUS COCKTAILS

MeatBusters Previously Burgers and Barrels

2 Victoria Buildings, Lower Bristol Road, Bath, BA2 3EH www.burgersnbarrels.co.uk b a

Call (01225) 666 226 | Email: info@minimis.co.uk | Web: www.minimis.co.uk

15% OFF

Designer clothes for Boys and Girls

for Bath Life readers with code BL15

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BATH LIFE! FROM CRESCENT FLOWERS

Tel: 01225 312999 crescentﬂowershop@icloud.com www.crescentﬂowers.co.uk

Fashion/gifts/stores/more

MAGICAL MOSAICS

Even before she stocked Ayala Bar jewellery in her shop, Alexandra May collected it. “Every piece of Ayala’s work is unique and handcrafted from antique fabrics and vintage beads and crystals, which results in the most beautiful, feather-light and eye-catching jewellery,” says Alexandra, the owner of bespoke jewellery emporium Alexandra May on Brock Street, Bath. “Everything is produced in very small quantities, so one is not likely to see designs and colourways in future collections.” Ayala’s work always follows the new seasons’ expected colour trends but her designs remain classically distinct, which is one of the main reasons her jewellery is collected and worn year after year. The new range arrives in Alexandra’s treasure-trove store in mid October. Pictured is a mosaic of Ayala Bar jewellery. Prices range between £58 – £280 for earrings, and necklaces range from £140 – £480. Available at Alexandra May, 23 Brock Street, Bath; www.alexandramay.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 183

END OF LEASE SALE BEGINS Monday 2nd October Mimi Yuyu will be shutting its doors at the end of October after 12 years of trading. It has been a wonderful time serving my lovely customers and I would like to thank them for their loyalty and friendship. 12 Margaret's Buildings, Bath BA1 2LP 01225 420333 www.mimiyuyu.com

Dry cleaning and Laundry Services

Congratulations to Bath Life for 15 years of High Quality Publishing

2 SUITS DRY CLEANED FOR ONLY £20

Van service available 6 Monmouth Place, Bath BA1 2AU Tel 01225 311595

HEATHER’S A new shop from the Second Hand Rose team Linen and cashmere fashion handbags and accessories Exclusive brands at affordable prices 3 The Shambles, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1JS | 01225 867707

B E A U T Y A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

THE BEAUTY SPOT Innovative brand house VIVALIS operates worldwide, with its ranges of muchloved beauty brands and products sold in over 40 different countries

Vivalis owners Sue and Graham Lynch-Staunton

hen you reach for the latest must-have beauty or grooming product, you’ll no doubt know countless hours have been spent working with the latest ingredients and researching the latest trends. But what you may not know is that many of these products are the brainchild of brand house Vivalis, an exciting and innovative company near Bath in the heart of Trowbridge. “We focus on identifying opportunities to create and develop brands within the global beauty and personal care marketplace,” says co-owner Graham Lynch-Staunton “We focus on areas that the multi-nationals do not. They 186 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

“WE DISTRIBUTE OUR PRODUCTS TO OVER 40 MARKETS WORLDWIDE, INCLUDING EUROPE, AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST”

can be slow, and their layers of management put a block on speed to market. This is our forte. We can see a trend and be part of it quickly." Graham runs Vivalis with his wife Sue, and the couple bought the business in 2011. But their involvement with the firm – established in the 1970s – goes back much further, with Graham involved since the 1990s, before becoming MD in 1998. "We are a highly focused and driven team, concentrating on the development of brands in the beauty and grooming categories, and we operate in over 40 markets worldwide," explains Sue. This includes the UK, Europe, the Middle

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E B E A U T Y

East, Africa, Asia, Australia and Canada, and means Vivalis really understands different tastes around the world. The company prides itself on being on point when it comes to both spotting and reacting to trends. “Our team is very experienced within this sector,” says Graham. “Trends now are global and are built from all areas, not just within beauty. Our experience is not just in seeing gaps within the beauty sector but also understanding how trends can be applied to beauty. We are always popping into stores whenever we are out, not just to look at our own brands but to watch the market develop.” And while consumers might not readily know the name Vivalis, they will no doubt know the brands on their shelves. Fan of the effective Fade Out cream, which evens out skin tone and reduces visible areas of hyperpigmentation? That’s a Vivalis product. Or perhaps you’ve come across the exciting new Purple Tree Skincare brand, with multi-purpose products using naturally derived ingredients? That’s another exciting Vivalis range. And, rather cleverly, the trend for male grooming has been well-responded to by Vivalis, with its Below the Belt range doing exactly what its name suggests. “Vivalis is somewhat invisible as it is our brands that we promote to consumers,” adds Graham. “But we hope that to our team Vivalis means inspiration and a great place to work, and we hope we are seen as a trusted local employer.”

Vivalis Beauty Ltd, Newbury House, Aintree Avenue, White Horse Business Park, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 0XB. 01225 753 555 contactus@vivalis.co.uk www.vivalis.co.uk

VIVALIS BRANDS INCLUDE:

Fade Out – a highly moisturising, daily skincare range which evens and brightens skin tone.

Purple Tree Skincare – multi-purpose products using naturally derived ingredients.

Jeer – a range of male deodorant body sprays using high-end, sought after fragrances and bringing them to the mass market.

Below the Belt Grooming for Men – the range caters for specific needs of men, below the belt www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 187

H A I R S T Y L I S T S A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

MEET THE STYLIST We talk to talented hairdressers in Bath who make sure your crowning glory always looks at its fashionable best

ALEX MORRIS

HARRIET BARBER

Master stylist Frontlinestyle; 01225 478478 www.frontlinestyle.co.uk Why should a client come to you? Hair is my passion, I have over 20 years in the industry and I’ve been trained by the very best names in the business – there is not much I haven’t seen or done to a head of hair! I love being creative and can turn my hand from wedding hair through to complete restyles. I am partial to colour correction too – I love a challenge! What do you love about being a hairdresser? Creating a whole new look and helping my clients to maintain it at home by showing them tips and techniques. Both my male and female clients love my calm, unrushed approach. I just enjoy making my clients feel so much more confident and relaxed at the end of the appointment than when they first came in. I also make a great cappuccino! What is the most important part of the service? To take time to listen, so I know exactly what style my client is looking to achieve and what fits with their lifestyle. I take time to analyse the hair type and condition and also talk through which cut would suit their face shape and hair type.

B Hairdressing 01225 311332 www.bhairdressing.co.uk

EDDIE ILLIC

JOSH HAYDEN

Who inspires you? I’m blessed to work with a brilliant and really creative team. Seeing people push all day every day has inspired me to get where I am today.

What is the most important part of the service? For me, the last ten minutes of the cut is the most important part. You’ve cut the hair to the length and shape that you want, and the cut could probably stop there. But by spending ten minutes more fine-tuning the haircut, it goes from good to great.

Senior stylist BA1 Hair 01225 420611 www.ba1hair.co.uk

Where do you want to be ten years from now? Still doing what I love, but sharing and educating people is the direction I want to head. I love teaching as it’s really important to me and I’d love to pass on the knowledge that I was taught at BA1 Hair. At BA1 Hair we believe that everything is personal, including our relationships with our clients and our staff. We want everyone to love the BA1 Hair experience. Do you have a favourite cut? I love cutting short hair, men’s and women’s. There’s so much you can do with it and so many ways to really personalise it.

190 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Salon manager BA1 Hair 01225 420611 www.ba1hair.co.uk

What’s your top tip to share with a client? Don’t be afraid to bring in pictures of what you like. I know there’s a lot of taboo around bringing a picture with you to a haircut but I think it’s one of the easiest ways to understand what a client is looking for. It also saves you from trying to talk hairdressing language. Why does hairdressing appeal to you? I’ve always been artistic, so to find a job where I get to be as creative as I do all day, every day, is perfect for me.

Who inspires you? Vivienne Westwood is life! I love everything about her brand. She is so influential in the fight on climate change. What makes your salon different from the rest? B is all about compassionate hairdressing. We are crueltyfree and vegan, even down to the cleaning products. B is also a gender-neutral salon; our pricing is based on your hair length- it’s not the 1950s! Why should a client come to you? I am Paul Mitchell educator/ session stylist which means I travel around Europe educating stylists and doing stage work at shows and also photoshoots. My clients love to hear about the tales from my trips. But because of the nature of this work I’m always looking ahead in the hair and fashion game. Clients like coming to me because they know I’m going to give them something current, but really adapting it to them.

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E H A I R S T Y L I S T S

BECKY MEDDICK Designer stylist Zara Perry hairdressing 01225 444178 www.zphairdressing.co.uk

What is the most important part of the service you give? I think a good thorough consultation with your guest is so important to establish their desires, and create a future plan. Make sure you listen and explain throughout. Create a bespoke vision. What do you love most about hairdressing? Meeting new people and being creative. I love that each day is different and no two clients are the same. I wake up every day excited and that feeling never gets old. Making a client’s dream a reality is so fulfilling. What advice do you give clients? Hair care at home is the most important part. So many clients say, “I love the feel of my hair after a visit.” And although that’s of course down to me – haha – it’s mostly down to using the correct tools, and using them properly. And make time for your hair – I have a two-year-old son, so I always get up early to do my hair. Which celebrity haircut would you like to do? Defo Beyoncé, who wouldn’t? I would love to style her hair and enjoy the conversation too! What’s your favourite cut? Short hair is my speciality, so my favourite has to be a short layered crop. Being a hairdresser is such a creative and sociable job to be in.

BILLIE LOUISE HARRIS

Stylist Zara Perry Hairdressing 01225 444178 www.zphairdressing.co.uk What do you love most about hairdressing? Being able to completely change someone’s look whether it be colouring or cutting or both. I could have a client who isn’t feeling that great about themselves, but they leave the chair with this newfound confidence and so happy because of what I’ve created for them. What’s your top tip to share with your client? Definitely making sure you shampoo your hair twice. A lot of people think it’s just something that hairdressers do in the salon. When you wash your hair, the first shampoo removes all impurities and build up, then the second is there to cleanse and clear the scalp. Then always condition as normal. Who inspires you? I would have to say Zara, the owner of the salon. She has been hairdressing since school and has achieved so much. Completing her colour degree, being on the Art Team, and especially opening her own salon. All before 30! Which celebrity haircut would you like to do? Rosie Huntington Whiteley. I mean who wouldn’t? Not only does she already have amazing hair, but I’d love to see what techniques she uses.

LOU GLASBEY

SARAH MOON

Where are you based? I have recently moved salons within Bath, and am now based in MATERIAL on Walcot Street. As soon as you walk into the salon there is such a welcoming, relaxed and friendly yet professional atmosphere.

What are your clients’ expectations and how do you deliver? Honesty, everyone at Artizan cares about how the client feels, we have always been taught to focus on our column guest’s happiness rather than the bank balance.

MATERIAL 01225 311808 www.materialhair.co.uk

Artizan 01225 447087 www.artizanbath.co.uk

Why should a client come to you? I have many loyal and regular clients; their feedback is that they especially like the in-depth consultations we have. I take time to have a very honest discussion about what would best suit a client and fit with their lifestyle, and I go through a personalised hair plan to help them recreate that salon style at home.

What do you most love about hairdressing? The fact you get an opportunity to do the whole style, from start to finish. There aren’t many careers that can offer that level of control.

What’s your favourite aspect of hairdressing? I enjoy everything about hairdressing but I especially enjoy highlighting. A lot of clients love the seamless, brightening finish I achieve when I pack the foils in. I’m also known for free handing a natural looking sunkissed balayage. When it comes to styling, I love doing big bouncy blow-dries and creating beachy effortless waves. Why did you choose hairdressing? At school I always had a big passion for art, I love the creativity of it which is why hairdressing was perfect for me. I’ve always been a hands-on person and love creating new styles and techniques. I also think every day is a new day and there is always something new to learn.

What’s your top tip to share with your guests? Use images, i.e. pictures, iPhone, iPad to show exactly what you want, it is then up to the stylist to be honest and realistic about the final result. Clients really appreciate your professional opinion. Why would a client come to you? Hopefully clients would come to me because they have been recommended by a regular client. Word of mouth is the biggest compliment any stylist can get. What makes your salon different? We don’t look at ourselves as different we just focus on our service and strive to make the whole salon experience, relaxing, with a head, neck and shoulder massage, fun, with humour and professional, with creativity for your individual needs.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 191

9-MONTH YOGA TEACHER TRAINING COURSE, £2,745 1st December 2017 - 9th September 2018 Location: Central Bath

THE FOCUS: ◆ Learn the Hatha Yoga poses and apply to teach them safely and confidently ◆ Explore the anatomy and physiology of each pose ◆ Learn the energy connections of each Yoga posture. ◆ In-depth look into the history, philosophy, anatomy & physiology, teaching methodology and sequencing ◆ Set intent and guidance of each class or practice ◆ Learn each Pranayama and Meditation technique

www.academyforyogatraining.com

E: chloeacademyforyogatraining@gmail.com Mobile: 07446 665093 Sister company Bath Yoga Studio Location: Bath Yoga Studio, Central Bath

Bath’s Hottest Yoga Studio Hot Yoga * Power Yoga * Hatha Yoga Forrest Yoga * Restorative Yoga Autumn Offers Available from 25th September – 24th October 2017

Save 15%

Visit www.bathyogastudio.com or call us on 01225 313153 Bath Yoga Studio, Norfolk Buildings, James Street West, Bath, BA1 2BT

MONTHLY UNLIMITED CLASS PASS

Save 25%

DROP IN Pay as you go

Just £10

Practise as many times as you like!

Enter ‘autumn25’at checkout

Just £71.40 Enter ‘autumn15’ at checkout (terms & conditions apply)

Visit www.bathyogastudio.com to book

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E D E N TA L C A R E

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY BATH DENTAL CLINIC! It is by sheer good luck and coincidence that as we celebrate Bath Life’s 15th anniversary, BATH DENTAL CLINIC are about to celebrate their first birthday

ath Dental Clinic was established just under a year ago, under the leadership of Paul HR Wilson FDS(RestDent), consultant in restorative dentistry, in order to relocate his long-established and successful specialist private dental clinics from Bath and Oxford. Bath Dental Clinic acquired Catharine Cottage GP Surgery in Catharine Place. Immediately Paul and the team set about a complete redesign and refurbishment of the entire building. Paul described the experience: "Once we purchased Catharine Cottage GP Surgery, we had to take steps to convert the space into a contemporary specialist dental practice. I’ve worked in private specialist practices and dental hospitals for the past 20 years, and this had given me a good understanding of what I wanted from this project. In terms of layout, I knew that I wanted the practice to be patientfocused, a very calm and gentle environment that stayed true to Bath’s UNESCO World Heritage status. Indeed, we wanted to retain the heritage of the building and the area, whilst making a space that was open, bright, clean and welcoming." The team at Bath Dental Clinic has expanded over the past year, and offers bespoke and gentle specialist-led dental care in a relaxed, state-of-the-art clinical environment.

THE CLINICAL TEAM INCLUDES:

l Paul HR Wilson: consultant in restorative dentistry; dental implants and cosmetic dentistry l Michael Hahn: specialist in oral surgery; dental extractions, oral surgery and facial pain l Safa Somi: specialist in prosthodontics; dental implants and dentures l Sarah Tukmachi: specialist in paediatric dentistry; children’s dentistry l Hatem Algraffee: specialist in periodontics; periodontal gum disease l Robert Kelly: specialist registrar in endodontics; root canal treatment. l Josie Stockley: dental therapist; preventative dentistry and hygiene. "We have gathered together a great team of likeminded and highly skilled clinicians, who have undergone extensive postgraduate hospital training in their respective fields, to support our community and dental colleagues," says Paul. "Of particular note, I’m very pleased to welcome back Bathonian, Sarah Tukmachi, who went to King Edward’s School and I helped train at Bristol Dental School when she was an undergraduate dental student. Sarah has completed specialist paediatric dentistry training at St. Barts in London, and she is thrilled to be able to use her skills to benefit children in Bath and beyond." Hatem Algraffee has had an illustrious career to date as a periodontist in London’s Harley Street, and he trained alongside Paul at Guy’s Hospital. Paul is very happy to work with Hatem again, and he is excited about the aesthetic periodontal plastic surgery skills that Hatem brings to the team. "Michael Hahn is a specialist oral surgeon, and notably was the co-founder of the respected British Association of Oral Surgery. "Mike has a wealth of experience in terms of surgical dentistry, including wisdom tooth removal under conscious sedation, and he used to live in Bath, so has an affinity with the area," says Paul. Safa Somi works at Bath Dental Clinic and part-time as a lecturer at Cardiff University Dental School. She teaches on the master’s degree course in dental implantology, and her research interests are focused on bone regeneration. Rob Kelly is also an previous postgraduate

“BESPOKE AND GENTLE SPECIALIST-LED DENTAL CARE” student taught by Paul. "Rob is currently undertaking specialist training in endodontics (root canal treatment) at Guy’s Hospital, and is nearing the final stages of his PhD, which is concerned with innovative dental biomaterials, an area of particular interest to me in my regenerative treatment of lost oral tissues," says Paul. To highlight the emphasis of preventative oral care in Bath Dental Clinic’s philosophy, Josie Stockley offers hygiene support for patients and bespoke guidance on how to prevent dental disease from happening in the first place. Josie also teaches trainee hygienists at Bristol Dental School, when not in clinic in Bath. Paul sums up the mission of Bath Dental Clinic: "Bath Dental Clinic is really like a minidental hospital, as we have a tremendous range of cutting-edge treatment offerings available from our hospital-trained team, who work together to improve the oral health and general well-being of patients in our care. We are supported by our dedicated nursing and administrative staff, who make the journey truly patient-centered." To arrange an initial consultation, please call 01225 333848 or visit bathdentalclinic.co.uk. Patients may self-refer or via their own dentist or GP. Saturday appointments available.

Catharine Cottage, 21 Catharine Place Bath BA1 2PS; 01225 333848; www.bathdentalclinic.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 195

Claire and her team of therapists invite you to a haven of relaxation and beauty in the centre of Bath. Formerly Jennifer Luckham’s Beauty Clinic, the newly named Beauty@ No.32 is one of the longest established salons in the city. Come and enjoy our new look and revitalised collection of treatments – we’d love to welcome you with the special voucher below. All our treatments are personalised to your specific needs: Thalgo facial treatments • Body treatments & massages • CACI Non-Surgical Facelift • Manicures • Pedicures • Waxing and Electrolysis • Blissful beauty packages • Make-up from the fabulous new Jane Ireldale collection

To book call: 01225 428741 32 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2AN

www.beautyatnumber32.co.uk

✂

£5 OFF

Your choice of treatment*

New look for the new season

* Valid until 1st January 2018 CODE: BEAUTY03

ALLERGY TESTING

CHARLOTTE HURD BEAUTY

Feeling unwell? May I help you?

ARE YOU FIT INSIDE AND OUT?

BEAUTY • DERMAPLANIST • LASER TECHNICIAN • HOLISTIC THERAPIST uk co. st. yte erg all w. ww

Headaches & migraine, tiredness & fatigue, weight problems, eczema or other skin problems, asthma, catarrh & sinus congestion, IBS & digestive disorders, anxiety & depression.

If you suffer with any of the above complaints, an hour’s test could change your life! For your nearest tester please contact Cindy on 07747 800097 or 01934 824056, or email allergytesting@churchviews.co.uk

Now testing at Lansdown Clinic, Bath BA1 5EE www.allergytest.co.uk

Luxury & local

rty /Prope opping rts/Sh ing/A t/Din nmen ai SSUE EV I rt E ST Ente ag

LifeM

@Bath

29 SEPTE

MBER

– 13 OCTO

BER

2017

/ £3

349 /

CEL EBR

ISSU

Dermaplaning is an exfoliating facial treatment using a 10 gauge scalpel swiping the blade in gentle upward motions. It removes dead dulling skin cells, peach fuzzy vellus hair , improves fine lines and wrinkles. The procedure improves skin rejuvenation leaving the skin brighter with a healthy glow! The skin is left smooth, being a perfect canvas for flawless make up. The treatment is painless and actually quite relaxing !

ATI NG

THE

BES T

OF THE

CIT Y

LIF E

BIG G

ISSUE

OF BA

E 349

G IN G BR AG H T S N IS TE B R IG AN D GL ON IN KL E SE AS

/ 29 SEP TEM BER – 13 OCT OBE

KL E, TW SPAR WAY TO PA YO UR

RT Y

R 2017 / HAP PY BIRT Y TO HDA US

BEST

OF THE

@BathLifeMag

ABANDON INTERIORS IN WILD BOTANICAL THE OUTSIDE ARE BRINGING

LIF E

BIG G

IS S U E E V

AT OUDOLF LOOK & WIRTH A CLOSER AT HAUSER FIELD

large version

ISSUE

TO US

– 13 OCTOBER

large

large version

TO US

– 13 OCTOBER

BIRTHDAY

29 SEPTEMBER

/ HAPPY

version

349 /

2017

WE REVIEWED

CITY

GOING GREEN

CELEBRATING

Property

/ £3

29 SEPTEMBER

A T H LI

TO US

LIF E

349 /

THE

IN DETAIL

WORLD-FAMOUS BATH’S MODEL-MAKER MEET ARCHITECTURAL

BIRTHDAY

ISSUE

S AR OF

CITY

/ HAPPY

OF THE

2017

BIG G

BEST

CELEBRATING

BIRTHDAY

29 SEPTEMBER

large

2017

READERS SPECIAL OUR LOYAL OUR VERY

ing/Arts/Shopping/ 2017 – 13 OCTOBER

Entertainment/Din

@BathLifeMag

/ £3

29 SEPTEMBER

A T H LI

/ HAPPY

349 /

S TO COLLE

Property ing/Arts/Shopping/

349 /

THE

S AR OF

CITY

ON GOES RESTAURANT FIRST THETHEEAT VERY YEARS AGO ANDRETURN 15 TO

2017

ISSUE

version

/ HAPPY

large

BIRTHDAY

version

TO US large version

large version large version

version

01225 475800

OF THE

– 13 OCTOBER

large

✆

FIVE COVER 2017

– 13 OCTOBER

ISSUE

@BathLifeMag

/ £3

B BEST

– 13 OCTOBER

version

Bath Laser Clinic Tel: 01225 800428 | www.bathlaserclinic.com

large

Charlotte Hurd Beauty at Oldfield Surgery, 45 Upper Oldfield Park, Bath BA2 3HT Tel: 07725 369965 | Email: charbeauty1@gmail.com www.charlottehurdbeauty.com

HAVE

Entertainment/Din

Property

ing/Arts/Shopping/ 2017 – 13 OCTOBER

29 SEPTEMBER

CELEBRATING

29 SEPTEMBER

349 /

THE

OF BA

US CELEBRATE 15 YEARS HELP BIRTHDAY

349 /

IS S U E E V

CITY

29 SEPTEMBER

OF THE

349 /

BEST

ISSUE

THE

ISSUE

/ £3

29 SEPTEMBER

AY, WE BIRTHD

Entertainment/Din Property @BathLifeMag

349 /

RATE OUR

ing/Arts/Shopping/ 2017 – 13 OCTOBER

ISSUE

CELEBRATING

TO CELEB Entertainment/Din

OF BA

The most sophisticated audience is just a call away

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E D O C T O R S

MEET THE HEALTHCARE SPECIALIST Meet the professionals who go the extra mile to keep us healthy and at our best

BRAD ABRAHAMS Brad Abrahams Optometry 01225 444321 www.bradabrahams.uk.com

What makes your practice dynamic and unique? The unparalleled array of cutting edge equipment means the eye examination is unrivalled, giving my clients the greatest confidence that their eyes are thoroughly examined every time they walk through my door. My recent OPTOMAP purchase puts us in the top 1 per cent of the 7,000 optometry practices in the UK. Outside the examination room my exceptionally well-trained and qualified staff enjoy their work, and pass on their infectious enthusiasm to our clients. How does your practice pick up problems early? Five years ago I installed a 3D OCT macula imaging camera, which allowed me to pick up so many problems far earlier. Even now, none of the multiples has installed this in any of their practices in Bath. What might people not know about you? I cut my optical teeth working as The Flying Optometrist in outback Australia for five years. It gave me great access to primary eye care I would never have gained working in a city practice. It also taught me how to drink!

DR RUPERT GABRIEL

Snowberry Lane Clinic 01225 700072 www.snowberrylane.co.uk How long has your practice been established for? My wife Ann and I started the Snowberry Lane Clinic nearly 15 years ago What has been your proudest professional moment? My proudest moments have been associated with Alevere, our weight loss programme, as the positive health benefits are dramatic and patients regularly express their gratitude for getting their lives back and being able to do so much more. What are the biggest challenges facing the medical profession over the next few years? The ageing population and obesity and the associated illnesses, especially diabetes, are going to challenge a chronically underfunded health service in the future. What investments has your clinic recently made? The latest exciting treatment we have added is Tixel which rejuvenates the skin with very little discomfort and downtime, despite being as effective as fractional CO2 laser treatment.

SIMON BARNES

GAVIN JENNINGS

What is your role? Consultant chartered physiotherapist and owner of the clinic.

What area do you specialise in? I am an orthopaedic surgeon specialising in the treatment of all shoulder problems ranging from sports injuries to arthritis. I have a particular interest in advanced arthroscopic (keyhole) operations as well as complex joint replacement surgery.

The Stone House Clinic (Corsham); 01249 700417 www.stonehouseclinic.co.uk

Specialist shoulder surgeon 01761 422259 www.shoulderspecialists.co.uk

Why did you choose this profession? I started my career (many moons ago) as a personal trainer. I found that I became more interested in helping my clients recover from injuries rather than purely getting them fit, and so signed up for a physiotherapy qualification. What makes your practice dynamic and unique? We offer lots of treatments including electrotherapy, acupuncture and shockwave therapy, as well as manual treatment. We can use these in a variety of combinations to get people better if they don’t respond well to one particular approach. The best bit of your job? I love making people feel better – living with pain can be very debilitating and seeing people get better and get on with their lives is a great reward. People mistakenly believe that physiotherapists only deal in sports injuries when in reality I cover all manner of chronic and complex injuries.

What is the biggest misconception about what you do? I think many people assume that because I am a surgeon, the treatments I advise will always involve surgery. This is definitely not the case and as many shoulder problems can be resolved without operations, potential non-surgical options are always considered. What are the most important aspects of being a doctor? Listening to and considering the patient’s individual needs and aspirations is vital. Patients need to be fully involved in the plan for their treatment and good communication skills are required to achieve this aim. Ultimately, it’s about getting the best possible outcome for the patients.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 199

A life-size sculpture rules over the long, tiered water feature to the front of the house

Regency revival The head gardener at Parishâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s House in Timsbury tells us why it has always been her aim to offer the public the chance to see the gardens of this private property first-hand By N ic k Woodhouse

GARDENS

ackie Hamblen took on the role of head gardener at Parish’s House in 2015. Returning to the UK after 25 years’ running her own nursery and maintenance company in southern France, her one priority was that she could take her loyal dog, Basil, with her to work each day. Today I find her in the unusually shaped kitchen garden of Parish’s House, busy ordering spring bulbs for the eight-acre grounds of this hidden gem at the heart of Timsbury, a short drive from Bath. The house itself dates back to 1816, having taken its name from its owner, Captain Parish, and his wife. Legend has it that the captain, who had served in the Royal Navy through the Napoleonic Wars, funded the build through his share of the bounty gained from the capture of an unfortunate Spanish treasure ship. The resulting Regency villa’s clever combination of grandeur and intimacy perhaps explains the illustrious list of subsequent owners. Once residence to Lady Ponsonby, Lady Mount Temple and shipping magnate Bernard Cayzer over the years, the house has now been home to Aisha Bangura and her family for the last 10. From the early days, Aisha was keen to improve and develop the gardens at Parish’s House, but was ever conscious that the planting palette here is considerably different to that of her country of birth, Sierra Leone. To this end, Aisha, Jackie and her colleague Luke Raikes work alongside Chelsea and Hampton Court gold medal-winner Mary Payne. Mary provides a guiding hand in the form of advice, detailed planting plans and the procurement of plants. Collectively, the team is keen that the planting is in keeping with the property’s age and style, so there is no prairie planting here. Sweeping lawns offering views onto the Cam Valley are interrupted occasionally by a ha-ha or a deep herbaceous bed, framed by woodland that is as inviting as it is established. The team is equally conscious, too, that the choice of plants is far more varied and tempting than it was in the short-lived Regency period. The neutral, loamy soil itself has been cultivated for 200 years so does allow them the opportunity to push the soil’s limits; the coming months will see the planting of acid-loving camellias and azaleas in the woodland areas. Jackie’s aim has always been to offer the public the chance to see the gardens of this private property first-hand. And with a few seasons of hard graft and devotion in hand, last month’s inclusion in the National Garden Scheme provided this very opportunity. The open weekend was a family affair with Aisha welcoming visitors to the gardens, and her sons, aged 13 and seven, helping with the parking in the neighbouring fields. I imagine that each of those

near 500 visitors was struck with the very same sense of awe I felt on seeing the enigmatic ‘Skittles with Scarlatti’. This life-size figurative bronze work by renowned sculptor Philip Jackson rules over the long, tiered water feature to the front of the house, her reflection sitting effortlessly in the gently flowing water. I ask Jackie if she’d do another open weekend; the answer is an assertive yes. They already do private tours for gardening clubs and larger groups and may also add another open weekend next spring. The team is always thinking a season ahead, so plan to spend the coming months tackling the wilder parts of the woodlands and developing a British native area close to the space’s boundary, a subtle transition to the valley beyond. Last year saw the felling of sycamores and squirrel-damaged trees as well as the clearing of the some of the more unruly inhabitants of the understorey such as hawthorn and holly. The speed of change was astounding; within days, near-dormant cyclamen finally unfurled their patient heads and are now growing in their spread and impact. Some of the changes are far less instant though. Future generations will be very thankful to the team for the recent planting of specimen pines that won’t come into their own for decades, or even centuries, when they might tower as majestically as the copper beeches now do. As I go to leave, I find Jackie The team is keen that the finishing off her bulb order in planting is in keeping with the the gardeners’ office. This is her property’s age and style favourite spot, sat among the kitchen garden, home to beds of strawberries, raspberries and cut flowers running to the towering stone walls clothed in apple cordons. The produce goes to the house, with any surplus going to the local farm shop. It’s the first day of autumn but the sun is gloriously doing its best to let us hang on to our unfulfilled plans for an endless summer. Walking past the retired chickens running freely their coop, I use the opportunity to bid farewell to our very English summer and make plans to return to the gardens in the spring, with all the promise that those months bring.

I IMAGINE THAT EACH OF THOSE NEAR 500 VISITORS WAS STRUCK WITH THE VERY SAME SENSE OF AWE I FELT

Parish’s House, Hook Hill, Timsbury, Bath BA2 0ND; www.ngs.org.uk Nick Woodhouse is the co-director of interior and garden design company Woodhouse & Law on 4 George’s Place, Bathwick Hill, Bath; 01225 428072; www.woodhouseandlaw.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 201

Clarkson’s Independent Funeral Directors (01225) 426 822 For a truly personal and caring service, from a family run independent firm, call us day or night, 24/7, 365 days a year… For our pre-paid funeral plans with Perfect Choice, please contact us for further information. Bath Branch: Windsor Place Upper Bristol Road Bath, BA1 3DF (01225) 426822

Frome Branch: Martha’s House Broadway, Frome BA11 3HA (01373) 463888

Saltford Branch: 489B Bath Road Saltford, Bristol BS31 3HA (01225) 426822

Meet some of the team: L-R: Martyn Hurst (Bath), Wayne Kelly (Frome), Karen Lambert-Gorwyn (Frome) Annie Booker (Bath), Jo Blackstone (Bath), Paul Lawrance (Saltford)

L-R: Ian Marsh (Bath), Steve Pillinger (Bath), Josh Jones (Bath), Len Taylor (Frome), Terry Wyatt (Bath)

Carol Spalding Director

www.clarksonsfuneraldirectors.co.uk contact@clarksonsfuneraldirectors.com

Sophie May Director

Shake-ups/launches/intel/promotions

B AT H G E T S S ER I O US A modern twist for the new community hub

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE

HOUSING

BUILDING SOCIETY A vibrant community development is underway at Foxhill A £10m community hub, woodland walk and garden square are just some of the features being built at Mulberry Park in Bath. The Curo housing development is taking shape on the former MOD site at Foxhill, with a school and a park also being built on the site, along with 700 new homes. Bath stone, brick and slate are among the materials being used on the 19-hectare site, with contemporary architecture and exciting defined areas created during each phase of building. It is a mix of one- and twobedroom apartments, and two five-bedroom homes. Town houses line Mulberry Way, the main avenue linking Bradford Road to the new park, with semi-detached and detached homes throughout the new neighbourhood. “The new £10m community hub

will be home to a primary school, children’s nursery and community facilities including a café, meeting and work space,” says Curo’s chief executive Victor da Cunha. “It will provide a vibrant heart to the neighbourhood, and we

are working with local organisations and groups to bring the space to life when it opens in September 2018. “The whole Mulberry Park development is due for completion in 2026. Mulberry Park is creating hundreds of construction jobs, and we are working in partnership with Bath College, and our construction partners, to offer work placements, apprenticeships and jobs with training.” The area will be a mix of properties provided on the open market, and affordable and sharedownership homes. Green credentials are very important too, with new residents encouraged to use sustainable transport.

Homes and jobs make Victor da Cunha happy www.curo-sales.co.uk

“WHEN YOUR FAMILY GETS FED UP OF CAKE, MAKE IT FOR YOUR COLLEAGUES” Celia Adams on how to create the perfect recipe for catering success. For more, see page 210

£10M THE BIG NUMBER

The amount being spent on a new community hub. For more, see opposite

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 205

BUSINESS INSIDER

ONE TO WATCH

JAMES O’NEILL The managing director of Chauffeur Travel went to Beechen Cliff School, and worked in construction, before becoming a driving force in family business Chauffer Travel

How did Chauffeur Travel come about and how did you get involved? My father John started the business in 1994, after a successful career in communications. As the business operated from home, it meant I was involved from the start, cleaning the car, answering telephone enquiries and sending faxes. Eight years ago, I left the construction industry to focus on growing the business, and building the Chauffeur Travel brand. Gaining momentum in business is tough but, through sticking to my core values and hard work, it has really paid off. What did you want to be when you were little? A whole host of things… but then kids always want to be the best at everything until the next idea comes along!

WE WANT TO INTEGRATE LUXURY ELECTRIC VEHICLES INTO OUR FLEET

What was your first job? I had a small car-washing business when I was 11-years-old, at that age I was restricted by my reach and the fact I was confined to the cul de sac of our family home... What are the most rewarding aspects of your work? Initially, surviving was the most rewarding aspect. Owning your own business is extremely tough at the start and it is very important to remember where you have come from, when reflecting on things. I am extremely competitive, so winning new contracts is very rewarding. 206 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

What is the secret of Chauffeur Travel’s success? Our staff. From admin to chauffeurs they are very polite, personable, discreet, friendly and efficient. And of course our vehicles. Our fleet of Mercedes-Benz and Audi executive vehicles are designed for luxury. What are Chauffeur Travel’s plans for the future? We want to reinforce our position in Bath as the leading chauffeur company. It is very important for me to understand the needs of our clients, and to provide a proposal which works for both. Our reach extends further than Bath city though, and we are able to offer our services to neighbouring cities and counties. We are looking to further develop our client base in these areas and stake our presence. We also want to integrate luxury electric vehicles into our fleet.

What has been Chauffeur Travel’s best/proudest moment? We have been nominated in the Professional Driver National Awards for Best Small Chauffeur Company. To be nominated is positive in itself, but we’re hoping for a great outcome later this year.. Tell us something about yourself that may surprise us… I love bonsai trees… For more: www.chauffeurtravel.co.uk

MOVERS, SHAKERS, ETC

Looking shipshape

AHOY, ME HEARTIES A team from Bath law firm Stone King LLP, took to the waters at the Bath Dragon Boat Race on 10 September to raise funds for the Wizzybug Loan Scheme. The project provides disabled children under five with powered wheelchairs, with the intrepid rowers hoping to raise £1,000. www.stoneking.co.uk

BLANC-ETY BLANC The highest peak in Western Europe is the target of Bath Brasserie Blanc employee William Field. William is one of a team of six hoping to reach the summit, and raise money for the Tim Bacon Foundation and The Christie Hospital. Diners have an easier way to raise funds – for every Mont Blanc dessert ordered during September, a pound will be donated to the appeal. www.brasserieblanc.com

GOOD BREWS Deepali Gaskell, who set up tea importing business Deepali’s Terroir when she couldn’t find a Darjeeling she liked, has won gold in the Taste of the West Awards. “The quality of the tea is evidenced in the flavour,” says Bath-based Deepali. www.heritageteasuk.com

BATH RUGBY NEWS Bringing you the latest from the Bath Rugby headquarters ‘For club and country’ could well be the motto for Bath Rugby winger Semesa Rokoduguni, as the 29-year-old is a serving soldier in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. In 2014, he became the first serving soldier to play for England since Tim Rodber in 1999, something he admits has had a huge impact on his rugby career. “Whenever I’m on the rugby field, the army training and the things that I’ve learnt from the army environment helps me a lot,” he says. “Flexibility, punctuality, turning up with the right attitude and the right mentality for your day job. “It’s not really that hard (balancing time) because it’s something I’ve done for a number of years now, and I’ve been in and out of the army base. It’s just getting your head around what’s happening, and what the regiment wants you to do; everything else just falls into place.”

The winger is ready to serve

The lance corporal recently linked up with his regiment in Scotland during the off season. “I went back to my regiment to see where they were because they’d just come back from Germany,” he adds. “For me it was all about checking on the boys, the set-up and the new base, because we’ve moved from tanks to Jackals, so our roles have changed. “It was a refreshment course in getting my hands on the new Jackal, brushing up on my drills and receiving my reports.” Rokoduguni joined up when he was 19, with his family having a long tradition of serving in the army. The winger is a Rec favourite, and he finished top of the try-scoring charts last season. For more: www.bathrugby.com

BUSINESS MATTERS DIARY From city centre conferences to networking breakfasts, make a note of these dates and make them work for you 3 OCTOBE R

Networking for Young Entrepreneurs and Ambitious Professionals (YENA). YENA brings together dynamic professionals, under the age of 35, for networking and support. Bath Brew House; 6.30pm www.eventbrite.co.uk 4 OCTOBE R

The Women’s Business Club is holding a business lunch aimed at inspiring participants. 11.30am; £30; Bailbrook House

Hotel, Bath; www.womensbusiness.club 16 O C TO BER

Bath Life business club with guest speaker Tom Lewis, the boss of the award-winning The Guild co-working hub. BLBC’s are sell-out affairs so book early. 12pm; £50; The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa; www.bathlifebusinessclub.com 26 O C TO BER

Join Small Business Focus

Breakfast Networking and enjoy a relaxed morning. Ideal for those looking to expand networks and build relationships. 8am; £13.33, Boston Tea Party, Alfred Street, Bath; www.eventbrite.co.uk 27 O C TO BER

A delicious breakfast and an interesting speaker are on the menu at the Inspire Business Breakfast. 7.30am; £16 – £36; Cumberwell Park; www.inspirebiz.co.uk

SCOTTISH CASHMERE SALE www.capitalcashmere.com Hundreds of jumpers and accessories in 100% Cashmere. Probably the largest collection in the UK! Our range is bigger than ever All Grade A quality cashmere Far superior to most High Street quality Prices at least 50% below normal retail Clearance prices even lower Stock up now for Winter and all those Christmas presents

Lansdown Golf Club Friday/Saturday 6/7 October 10am - 4pm

Free Entrance Enquiries: 01952 691424 / 07980 338573

BUSINESS INSIDER

TERRIFIC THREE Our pick of the most exciting, intriguing or important local business stories right now

Beth Hart and Amy Adams

BROWS BEATEN

Nothing beats being there…

After four years in business, The Brow Place is moving to a bigger salon on 9 October. The new salon will be at 1 Abbey Street, just off Abbey Green where it is currently based. The unisex salon is run by Sue and Amy Adams who started with a team of four staff, which will increase to 11 in the new venture. “We are moving to a premises three times the size, so we have plenty of room to make all of our new ideas a reality,” says Amy. “We will still be offering our signature drop-in brow bar services, such as noappointment-necessary threading, waxing and tinting. However, we will also have three nail stations with our nail techs offering Gelish and OPI manicures and pedicures.” “We are always thinking of how we can create the best experience possible for our clients,” adds Amy. “The addition of a mineral makeup brand, which we can use straight after treatments to conceal any redness, has increased our popularity too. Little extras such as these are another reason I think we’ve been lucky enough to succeed.” For more: www.thebrowplace.co.uk

PACKING THEM IN Work is well underway at the Packhorse in South Stoke ahead of its reopening in the pretty village next spring. The pub has been in the village for over 150 years, and became under community ownership following an ambitious scheme, which saw share capital of £829,000 raised. However, the pub is still short of its £1,025,000 target and needs to raise more. “We’re really excited to be part of such a prestigious project and we’re really keen to deliver a pub that everyone involved in can be proud of,” says Ian Clark from Dando and Sons, the main building contractors.

The picturesque Packhorse

Chef Rob Clayton will be the operation director at the 17th-century pub. www.packhorsebath.co.uk

WHY NOT GIVE IT A GO? Any company can win a highly-prestigious Bath Life Award – and with nominations opening on 6 November, Bath’s businesses are urged to begin considering their entries. Now in its 13th year, the Bath Life Awards celebrate business success, and provide an unrivalled marketing showcase. Open to all Bath-based companies and organisations, the Awards are completely free to enter and can be won by anyone. “Entering the Bath Life Awards is a chance to show the world how your business makes Bath a better place,” says Steph Dodd, events manager at MediaClash. “With a record number of nominations last year and so many fantastic companies in Bath, making it to the finalists’ list is a huge achievement. We ensure finalists are celebrated within our marketing plans in the run-up to the glamorous event.” There will be a How to Win a Bath Life Award seminar in October, so entrants can perfect their nomination. Winning an Award is fantastic for company profile, and all winners receive coverage in Bath Life magazine, as well as a hand-crafted engraved trophy, window stickers to proudly display success, two free places at a special Winners’ Dinner after the Awards and the long-lasting memory of a Bath Life Award-winning moment. There are also sponsorship opportunities available, with our current roster of Sponsors: Headline Sponsor The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, Platinum Sponsor Bristol Airport, plus Savills, Bath Volkswagen, Fidelius, Bath Audi, Bath Rugby, Minuteman Press, Stone King, Bluefin, Bath BID, Tile & Flooring, Apex Hotels, Novia, Kersfield, HomeLets, Bryers, First Bath, Hawker Joinery, Circo, Enlightened Lighting, soVision IT, Clifton Marquee Company and SearchStar. Get in touch with Pat White if you’d like to talk sponsorship; pat.white@mediaclash.co.uk

AJ Removals Removals - Storage - Shipping - Packing

Tel: 01225 404060 www.ajremovalsbath.co.uk

BUSINESS INSIDER

BATH LIFE AWARDS 2017

CREATIVE BUSINESS WINNER Sponsored by

BATH CAKE COMPANY A jam-packed order book and a Bath Life Award are the icing on the cake for Celia Adams So how did it feel to win a Bath Life Award? How did you celebrate? And where is your award now? It was so amazing to win; a lot of hard work went into our entry and it was such a lovely thing for the whole team to feel part of. We were actually very boring after the awards, and were home in bed by 11pm as we had a 6am wedding delivery the next morning. The award has pride of place in the window of our Cake Decorating School. What do you think makes The Bath Cake Company stand out from its competitors? I don’t think there really is another business quite like us in Bath. Bringing flavours and creativity together is so visual that so many people find the whole concept very intriguing, whether they are ordering a cake or learning how to make their own. How did you get into doing what you do? I used to be a wedding planner and always admired the beautiful wedding cakes so I decided to take an evening course in sugarcraft. After that, I was hooked, and couldn’t stop making cakes for friends and family. Has it met with your initial plans and expectations? And if so how? I knew I always wanted to go into business, but I didn’t think it would be a cake business. Running a business comes with so many challenges and it is far from just making cakes, but I really enjoy all aspects of the business. I never thought we would open a Cake Decorating School or deliver wedding cakes as far and wide as we do, and to so many couples. Do you think being an active part of the community is important in business? I think we are really lucky in Bath to have so many great independent businesses, and so many business owners. We also work closely with some of the schools in Bath, whether it be hosting lunchtime demonstrations for students, donating items for food tech departments or taking on students for work 210 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Let them eat cake say Celia Adams and Zulekha Aszal

experience. We have also supported a local charity each year, and we are currently working with The Forever Friends Appeal. What do you love most about your job? Wedding cake consultations are one of my favourite parts, hearing all about couples’ plans for their big days, and to have them involve us in the wedding is a really lovely part of the job. Have there been some tricky times for your business? There have definitely been times along the way when hard lessons have been learnt, but I wouldn’t change anything as it has really helped mould Bath Cake Company into the business that it is today. The worst part for me is turning away customers because we are fully booked. A lot of people come to us for last-minute cake orders and we try and fulfil as many as possible but sometimes we are just too busy.

IT IS EASY TO GET CARRIED AWAY WITH MAKING BEAUTIFUL CAKES BUT YOU NEED TO MAKE ENDS MEET TOO What do you aim to achieve in the next couple of years? The next few years are going to be very exciting for Bath Cake Company. We are currently restructuring the business and we will be moving out of our city centre premises. Moving forward, we will be really focusing on producing showstopping wedding cakes and bespoke commissions. I will also be doing more freelance work which will include teaching at other cake decorating schools and also filming online tutorials. We will still very much be a Bath-based business and our focus will always be in Bath.

What advice would you give someone looking to go into this sector? It really takes a lot of practise, so make cakes for everyone and anyone. When your family get fed up of cake, make it for your colleagues. Also you need to view it as a business and not just a hobby. It is very easy to get carried away with making beautiful cakes, but if you want it to be your occupation, you need to make ends meet too. What is your favourite cake? Oh.... the hardest question ever. I think probably either the cherry bakewell cake that we sell at The Foodie Bugle and Café W, or our glutenfree chocolate truffle torte, topped with salted caramel and dark chocolate ganache. But ask me next week and it might be something different! What do you love most about Bath? We are spoilt for choice with unique independent shops and restaurants, we have lovely walks in our ‘backyard’, and we can easily escape the city for breathtaking countryside. What do you do when you’re not working? I have a passion for property and interior design, and at the moment we are renovating our house. I love going for a dog walk, followed by a Sunday roast with friends at The Chequers or The Marlborough Tavern. Who are your business heroes? I have to admire Jamie Oliver. His passion for local produce and his energy towards good food is inspiring. I also admire how he encourages younger generations to get involved and get cooking real food. And I must mention Bathborn Mary Berry, who is an inspiration to so many. The success of her long career is a reflection of the enjoyment she gets from what she does. Tell us something that might surprise us… I will be working overseas with customers more as we’re broadening our reach for weddings. www.bathcakecompany.co.uk

EST. 1999

Bathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Recruitment Specialists Our reputation speaks for itself The team at Appoint are undoubtedly the most professional and thorough consultancy I have met in the South West. They take a sincere vested interest in both job seekers and clients to ensure the best possible placement. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to highly recommend Appoint Bespoke

Ethical

Resourceful

appoint.co.uk 01225 313130

B U S I N E S S A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

20 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH A SMILE With elegant offices in a beautiful Georgian building and enjoying a prime location, it’s little wonder that INIGO BUSINESS CENTRES is in such demand

Tamazin Pearson-Bish, Director; Lindsaye Dunn, Assistant Manager; Sophie Richards, Manager; Catherine McKie, Receptionist

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY ABOUT US

212 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

business district, the centre in Bath boasts a prestigious location at 1 Queen Square. The building is a traditional Georgian edifice and, stepping through its front door, the elegant interior is in keeping with the sophistication and grandeur of the era in which it was founded. Once over the threshold, the Inigo team strive to maintain, if not exceed, these positive first impressions. The team always provide a warm welcome and remain on hand to aid clients with their day-to-day business needs, whether taking calls, sorting post or catering for business lunches. In addition to ongoing daily support, Inigo values its relationship with each individual client – the team works to build long-lasting professional relationships with those who have chosen to make 1 Queen Square their

▲

stablished in 1997, Inigo Business Centres is delighted to be celebrating its 20th anniversary. Since opening its doors in Newbury all those years ago, Inigo has expanded to seven centres across the UK; all based on the same ethos of a distinctive period building in a premium location. As well as providing in-house clients with elegant serviced office space, Inigo also offers a range of virtual services. These benefit over 80 companies based within Bath as well as further afield, allowing businesses to take advantage of its enviable address, professional telephone answering and impressive meeting rooms without the expense of renting physical office space. Based in the heart of the finance and

“Milsted Langdon, a leading firm of chartered cccountants in the South West, opened its Bath office at 1 Queen Square in September 2012. During the last five years with the considerable assistance of Tammi, Sophie and their colleagues at Inigo, the Bath office has grown substantially. The Bath office headed by Ian Lloyd offers the full range of services to businesses, charities and individuals which includes high quality tax planning, accounting and audit services as well as forensic, insolvency and recovery advice. Milsted Langdon, originally established in 1988 by two former Bath University graduates, also has offices in Bristol, Taunton, Yeovil and London.’’ Jo Ewan Milsted Langdon

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E B U S I N E S S

“With over 325 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 50 countries. Barclays moved to 1 Queen Square, Bath in October 2008 and is one of 5 key corporate offices that reach across the South West of England. We provide corporate banking services to businesses with an annual turnover of over £6.5 million. The move to 1 Queen Square has been a great success being received well from both clients and colleagues alike. Working from 1 Queen Square allows us to be in the centre of the city and with the excellent facilities such as reception, meeting room and board room we are able to host our client base in a professional and private environment.” Martin Crook Barclays Corporate “The Apartment Company was one of the first businesses to move into 1 Queen Square, way back in 2009. We initially moved into a four man office and, as our business has grown, Inigo has been able to accommodate our needs and upsize our space within the building when required. We take full advantage of all facilities, regularly using the meeting rooms. The friendly team meet, greet and answer many of our client calls with absolute professionalism. Being located in such a lovely building in one of Bath’s premier addresses is a great benefit to our business, and I would therefore recommend being here to anyone.” Peter Greatorex The Apartment Company “Nine Feet Tall are delighted to be longstanding clients of Inigo, Bath. Whilst not quite as old as Inigo (we are 15 in 2018!) Nine Feet Tall has seen sustained business growth since moving its HQ into Number 1 Queen Square in 2008. Also now with regional offices in London and Manchester, Nine Feet Tall are project delivery and capability building experts. We specialise in implementation of business transformations with local clients including Danone, Connect Group and Hargreaves Lansdown. Being based at the prestigious Queen Square address has helped Nine Feet Tall grow, with excellent boardroom facilities for meeting clients, a local base for recruiting new talent and access to the growing business markets of the South West and beyond.” Huw Jones Nine Feet Tall

“AFTER HAVING 10 SUCCESSFUL YEARS IN THE CITY INIGO ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE” base, and fosters a strong community culture throughout the centre. The centre manager, Sophie, can attest to Inigo’s success in creating a positive atmosphere alongside the professional services offered: “In 2009, I worked for a company that was one of Inigo’s first clients at 1 Queen Square. I loved the friendly atmosphere within the building – there were (and still are!) networking and social events organised by the team to help everyone get to know each other. Years later, when I heard that Inigo had a vacancy that would allow me to play a key role in the centre, I jumped at the opportunity. I even relocated back to Bath for the job, and now I continue to foster that same culture of community that inspired me.” After having 10 successful years in the city Inigo are very excited about the future. “We are well aware that quality offices are hard to come by in the city centre, and we are in the process of seeking additional premises to accommodate those on our ever growing waiting list,” says Tammi Pearson-Bish.

1 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HA 01225 904500 sophie.richards@inigo.co.uk www.inigo.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 213

Proud Finalist of

Are you looking to... If yes,

call us for a free no obligation chat. We offer a range of professional, tailored HR services to suit your business.

Tackle tricky employee issues?

Update your HR docs?

07866 487673 hello@keystonehr.co.uk @keystone_hr

END OF SUMMER BIKE SALE

www.keystonehr.co.uk

Engage & retain top talent? Grow & develop your team?

Weddings Families Portraiture Events Professional studio Fashion Jewellery Architecture

BeataCosgrovePhotographer beatacosgrovephotography

@BeataCosgrove

@ beatacosgrovephotography@gmail.com

www.beatacosgrovephotography.com

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E F I N A N C E

HAVE YOU DECLARED ALL YOUR OVERSEAS INCOME TO THE TAXMAN? Having overseas assets doesn’t have to be taxing as Nick Oliver of PEARSON MAY explains

f you have money or other assets abroad you could owe tax in the UK. This is the message being sent out by HM Revenue and Customs, (HMRC) and they are urging people to ensure that their tax affairs are up-to-date before a tough new approach comes into force. Those people who fail to correct their offshore affairs before the end of September 2018 could be liable to penalties of up to 200 per cent of the lost tax, with HMRC having the powers to name and shame the offenders in certain circumstances. A key issue which is frequently misunderstood is where you have already declared and paid tax on income or gains overseas. You may already be reporting your income etc in a foreign jurisdiction but, if you are resident in the UK, it almost certainly needs to be reported to HMRC. Double tax relief is usually available so that you don’t end up paying tax on the same income twice. In worldwide efforts to curb tax evasion there will, in future, be much more information shared between countries. Over one hundred countries have so far committed to a Common Reporting Standard, whereby there is an automatic exchange of financial account information. Overseas financial institutions will be obliged to provide details to HMRC about anyone with financial accounts and investments in their jurisdiction who appears to be resident in the UK. At the same time, banks etc in the UK will provide information on non-UK residents to HMRC. If you have assets overseas you should be considering whether your tax affairs are

“THOSE WHO FAIL TO CORRECT THEIR OFFSHORE AFFAIRS BEFORE THE END OF SEPTEMBER 2018 COULD BE LIABLE TO PENALTIES”

compliant or whether you need to bring your affairs up-to-date and disclose your overseas income to the taxman. HMRC’s Worldwide Disclosure Facility (WDF) opened on 5 September 2016, and is available until 30 September 2018. Anyone who wants to disclose a UK tax liability that relates wholly or partly to an offshore issue can use the WDF, but we would urge you to seek professional assistance. The WDF will be the final chance to come forward before HMRC begins to make full use of information obtained under the CRS, and toughens their approach to the non-delcaration of offshore income and assets.

Nick Oliver, a partner at Pearson May

Procedure for making a disclosure

The first step to make use of the WDF is to notify HMRC that you wish to make a disclosure, and this can be done using their online notification form Once the notification form is submitted, HMRC will write to you with a unique Disclosure Reference Number (DRN), which you need in order to make your disclosure to HMRC. You have 90 days from receipt of the DRN within which to make full disclosure and pay any tax, interest and penalties that are due. You must self-assess your ‘behaviour’ to determine how many years you need to disclose to HMRC. As part of the disclosure, the total undisclosed income and gains must be calculated together with the tax due. We would recommend that you seek professional advice to guide you through the procedure and prepare the necessary calculations.

If the source of income is continuing you may need to register under the selfassessment regime and file tax returns for future years. We have lots of relevant experience and can assist you with this, if required.

What about penalties and interest?

These must also be calculated when making the disclosure and the taxpayer must selfassess, deciding what level of penalty applies in their individual circumstances. This will depend on the facts of the case and the reason for not making the disclosure previously. The time taken to correct your non-compliance, or whether a disclosure could have been made using one of HMRC’s previous facilities, come into play when determining the level of penalty. Professional assistance is advised, so that you do not end up paying more than is necessary. Interest must be calculated from the date that the tax should have been paid to the date that you anticipate making payment. As part of the WDF, HMRC also require the maximum value of the assets held by you outside the UK over the last five years to be disclosed. The WDF should be viewed as a final opportunity to regularise your affairs before HMRC begin to process information obtained under the CRS. The processes involved in the WDF are complicated and professional advice should be taken. The above is for general guidance only and no action should be taken without obtaining specific advice.

37 Great Pulteney Street, Bath BA2 4DA 01225 460491 mail@pearsonmay.co.uk www.pearsonmay.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 219

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E L E G A L F O C U S

INHERITANCE TAX ON LIFETIME GIFTS HELEN STARKIE provides a clear guide about the basic rules and regulations regarding inheritance tax, including the exemptions and common misconceptions to his mother would all be taxable if he had already used his annual £3,000 allowance. ● A gift of up to £5,000 to a child of theirs who is marrying or entering into a civil partnership ● A gift of up to £2,500 to a grandchild of theirs who is marrying or entering into a civil partnership ● A gift of up to £2,500 between a bride and groom or a couple entering into a civil partnership or a gift of up to £1,000 to just one party to the marriage or civil partnership. ● (This is the exemption I find most people have not heard of – and is in many cases it is the most useful) any amount paid out of the individual’s income as part of their usual expenditure, provided that the individual is left with sufficient income to meet his or her own usual standard of living without having to resort to their capital assets. – This exemption is often used, for example, in relation to the payment of school fees by grandparents.

ost people I see professionally are already aware that their estates may be subject to Inheritance tax when they die if their estate is over a certain value. Many also have some idea that there is a seven year rule of some kind relating to gifts they have made before they die and that they can give gifts of £3,000 inheritance tax free each year. However, most are confused about how the various rules and figures they have heard apply and relate to one another – and few seem to know anything about one allowance in particular (which is in many ways the most useful of all). So here is an outline of inheritance tax basics which I hope you may find useful as an aide-memoire. The following gifts (whether made during the lifetime of the donor (the individual making the gift) or on his or her death) are not liable to inheritance tax. ● Gifts to a spouse or civil partner ● Gifts to charities and national institutions ● Gifts to political parties

LIFETIME GIFTS

In any one tax year an individual may make any or all of the following gifts free from any liability to inheritance tax ● Gifts of up to £3,000. (The donor may also carry forward any unused allowance from the previous tax year – but only once - so if, for example, Bill made no gifts at all in 2012/13, gifts totalling £2,000 in 2013/14 and now makes a gift of £7,000 to Ben only £4,000 will be exempt from IHT – that is the allowance of £3,000 for the current year and the unused allowance of £1,000 from the previous one. He cannot carry forward any allowance from 2012/13 and has already used part of his allowance for 2013/14) ● As many gifts of £250 each as he wishes to different recipients – So if Bill gave Ben another £250 now it would be liable to IHT. If Bill gave Weed two separate gifts of £250 in a year the first would be free from IHT; the second would not. In the example above Bill’s £3,000 allowance for this year was offset against his larger gift to Ben. It is not possible to offset individual £250 gifts against larger gifts, so a gift by Bill of £400

Any gift made under any of these exemptions must be declared to the Revenue if the donor dies within seven years of making it but no IHT will be payable on it. Any gift made during the seven years prior to the donor’s death which does not fall into one of the exemptions listed above will have to be taken into account when calculating the tax payable on the donor’s estate This is a thumbnail sketch of the basic rules. It is not totally comprehensive. You should always seek professional advice in relation to your own specific circumstances if you are thinking of making gifts or taking any other action which may affect your tax position.

Helen Starkie Solicitor 5 Gay Street, Bath BA1 2PH 01225 442353 www.helenstarkie.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 221

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

FITZROY

224 LIFELIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk 224 II BATH CLIFTON I www.mediaclash.co.uk

HOUSE

SHOWCASE

PROPERTY

Built in 1789, and reimagined in 2017, Fitzroy House on Great Pulteney Street is a collection of grand Georgian apartments with a modern edge By E V E LY N GR E E N

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE LIFE II 225 www.mediaclash.co.uk I CLIFTON 225

PROPERTY

SHOWCASE

ositioned on what is considered to be the grandest and most impressive street in Bath (you know, one of those addresses that makes people say “wow” and nod deferentially), Fitzroy House is a collection of 28 individually designed luxury Georgian apartments on Great Pulteney Street. A beautiful Georgian Bath stone façade, along with its central location, makes it one of Bath’s most prestigious addresses. The ashlar stone is complemented by a decorative pediment, impressive pilasters and ornamental wrought iron balconies, railings and lanterns. Behind the handsome exterior of this spectacular Grade-I listed property, each characterful residence has been sensitively and thoughtfully refurbished to emphasise features such as the ornate cornicing, panelled doors and sash windows. Walk into apartment number 14 for example – located on the ground floor, with sole use of a front door on Great Pulteney Street – and you’ll notice great care and attention has been put into designing the rooms to combine Georgian grandeur with 21st-century design and convenience. Inside the completely self-contained residence, you’ll find a fully fitted kitchen designed by Bulthaup, with slick worktops, glass wall panels and matt-finish cabinets, plus an island unit and a range of high-end appliances; and the living areas are decorated with a subtle, calming colour scheme so that you can add your own touch easily. The two bedrooms both have their own personalities: the first has vibrant, teal-coloured walls with neutral accents, and the other has a soft grey palette, but both have plenty of room and large windows which make the space seem larger. And the two bathroom are completed with illuminated mirror cabinets, underfloor heating and a heated wall for towel-warming. 226 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Clockwise, from top left: The pristine hallway of number 14 welcomes you in; the open-plan living space is light and spacious; the sleek, contemporary kitchen; bold hues in the bedroom

HOUSE NUMBERS

963

square foot of space

bedrooms

£895,000 price

bathrooms

As for outside, this apartment benefits from access to landscaped communal gardens, but there are private gardens, as well as balconies and roof terraces for other properties. And, as an added bonus, there’s secure parking available nearby, plus garages for selected residences. As well as other ground floor apartments – including one impressive maisonette which offers a large roof terrace and balcony overlooking Great Pulteney Street – the collection of properties you can expect to see at Fitzroy House start from £450,000 and include tuckedaway garden apartments, which enjoy a private south-east facing garden, and courtyard properties which claim some of the largest living spaces in the development. There are also second and top floor residences in which proportions are grand and views beautiful (especially from the top floor, where the vistas sweep across rooftops and up to the greenery of Bath’s famous skyline and rolling countryside). The location is always going to be its biggest draw; the street itself – designed at the end of the 18th century by architect Thomas Baldwin – is over 1000 feet long and 100 feet wide, and is perfectly placed for a leisurely level walk across Pulteney Bridge into the centre of Bath, less than 500 metres from the city’s restaurants, theatres and shops, with Waitrose as your corner shop. The exceptional development itself offers an unparalleled combination of accessibility, quality and history, along with the grandeur of the old and the convenience of the new. And the best thing about it is, it’s ready to be moved into in an instant.

Savills Bath, Edgar House, 17 George Street, Bath, BA1 2EN; 01225 474 591; www.savills.co.uk

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E P R O P E R T Y

ATRIUM UNVEILED AT ROYAL VIEW ‘An interior unlike any other’ has been unveiled at Bath’s leading new property development, with a beautiful new atrium providing a connection to nature

ocated inside Royal View at Bath Riverside, the atrium which stretches from the ground floor all the way up the eight stories of the building, includes columns of draped flowers and greenery that mirrors the organic surroundings of the building. Acting as a communal heart, it is unlike anything ever seen before in the World Heritage city. The structure and shape of the atrium was designed and brought to life by award-winning architects Studio Egret West while the interior finish was by Scott Brownrigg. The idea behind the atrium is that it connects residents with the

outside elements, providing a direct link with the sky above while drawing in natural light. Those wanting to see this spectacular new addition to the Bath property scene can now book an appointment to take a look around, while admiring the views and high-end spec of the one- and two-bedroom apartments and penthouses. Marcus Evans, sales and marketing director at Crest Nicholson, said: “The curved nature of Royal View has provided a real talking point for Bath house hunters as it is unlike anything that has ever been seen before in the city. The unveiling of the atrium inside the building is hugely exciting and has now provided yet another reason for house-hunters to come and take a look.” The curvature of the outside is also mirrored inside with the balustrade on each floor incorporating a design that has a natural flow with no beginning or end. Marcus added: “The approach and inspiration towards the design of Bath Riverside and Royal View was about how it could better connect with nature. “The figure of eight design of the phase, which will include living ‘green walls’, has broken new ground in terms of what can be achieved

and it’s inspiring to continue that theme inside the building.” Regarded as one of the country’s finest examples of inner-city redevelopment, it’s easy to see why Bath Riverside and more recently Royal View has proved so popular, with sales on the phase now surpassing 50 per cent. With the first completions expected towards the end of October, anyone interested in buying a property are advised to visit soon so they can choose from the remaining selection of oneand two-bedroom apartments.

For further information please call 01225 463517 or visit www. bathriverside.co.uk The marketing suite on Victoria Bridge Road is open daily from 10 am to 5pm.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 237

A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E P R O P E R T Y

A HOME FIT FOR AN ADMIRAL... We’ve all heard of a home fit for a King, but how about one for an Admiral?

umber 19 Bennett Street fits the bill: a Grade II Listed Georgian town house dating back to 1775. Between 1806 and 1814, Admiral Arthur Phillips, the First Governor of New South Wales, a gentleman widely regarded as the founder of modern Australia, called this home. A plaque by the front door testifies to this interesting historical fact. In the 1960s this majestic townhouse was converted into apartments while under local authority ownership. This was not unusual; post-war, many grand town houses were split

“CREATING NEW HOMES THROUGH SYMPATHETIC AND TASTEFUL RESTORATION”

into flats. The basement floors, which would have been hives of activity and the heart of the house in their heyday with bustling kitchens and polished silver, were simply made redundant and used for storage. No more Upstairs Downstairs! Curo, a housing association and housebuilder and the biggest landlord in Bath, owns around 600 Georgian properties in our World Heritage City, most of which have Listed Building status. Curo’s head of lettings is Hayley Stockham: “One of Curo’s priorities is to provide great properties and places and, as a not-forprofit housing provider, we want to use our properties in the most effective way and realise the full potential of these empty basements, creating new homes through sympathetic and tasteful restoration. Our in-house Historic Buildings Team appraised and reviewed the viability of bringing the ‘Admiral’s basement’ back into use. Having considered the impact on local residents and the grand building itself, we obtained the required planning consent and began a sixmonth project to restore the basement of the property.” The result is a stunning two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with the perfect synergy of original features and contemporary additions. Beautiful stone steps lead to the hallway with the original stone floor and the remains of the servant bells. The open-plan living and kitchen area retains the original range and dark stone

floor. A modern white high-gloss kitchen – with integrated dishwasher, full fridge freezer and double oven – is quite the transformation from the not-so mod-cons the kitchen staff and scullery maids would have used in Georgian times. Two double bedrooms are found to the front of the apartment, one with full working shutters and built-in wardrobes. The second bedroom has an en-suite wet room, and there is an additional family bathroom. Fancy alfresco dining? Look no further than the private courtyard. Curo continues to look at their properties to identify suitable conversion or renovation opportunities. Future possibilities have been identified at Great Pulteney Street and Sydney Place. Hayley added: “These wonderful buildings were here long before us, and will be around long after we’re gone. People travel from far and wide to see the Georgian buildings of Bath. We are privileged to be custodians of these important assets, and will continue to restore these empty spaces, creating new homes for the future.”

If you would like further details, or to register your interest in renting one of these beautiful properties, please contact Curo on 01225 366000 or email rentahome@curo-group.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 239

SERVICES GUIDE

CONTRACTOR

d 197

lishe

Estab

D R Vowles & Son Ltd are highly reputable roofing contractors based in Bath, Somerset. We provide premier roofing services for residential, commercial and industrial clients with properties throughout the south west.

For more information please call Liz today

01225 425232

Upper Weston Farm, Weston, BATH BA1 4HL

drvowlesandson.co.uk PONDS AND AQUATICS

HOLIDAY RENTALS

Richard Brook

60+ luxury properties for lets 2 nights to 5 months

POND & AQUATIC SYSTEMS

DESIGN • CONSTRUCTION • CLEANING • MAINTENANCE BLANKET WEED SOLUTIONS AND MORE T: 07834 973945 E: richard.brook9@btinternet.com

Holidays – For business – Friends & family – Temporary accommodation during renovation/relocation Contact: 01225 482 225 | alexa@bathholidayrentals.com www.bathholidayrentals.com Offering 4 & 5 star holiday rentals since 2006

WWW.PONDANDAQUATICSYSTEMS.CO.UK STONE SPECIALISTS

NORTON MASONRY LTD Repairs, Restoration Alteration of Stone Buildings New Build Stone Cleaning Stone Carving Fireplaces

Tel: 01225 462688 / 07968 697091 Email: Julian@bathstonemasons.co.uk

www.bathstonemasons.co.uk STONE SPECIALISTS

GARDENING

Stonework Specialists & General Builders 38 LONG BARNABY, MIDSOMER NORTON, RADSTOCK BA3 2TZ

Tel/Fax: 01761 419422 Fax: 01761 232480 Mobile: 07901 712232 / 07899 927276

Email: nortonmasonryltd@hotmail.co.uk

www.nortonmasonryltd.co.uk Over 30 Years Experience

DECORATING

JEWELLERY

Paul Swift Painting and Decorating

DAVIS MASONARY Natural stone specialist Bath stone restoration Walling Re-pointing

Quality Garden Care and Development

t: 07910 621 316 e: jack_fb_123@hotmail.co.uk

01225 336556 or 07833 351568 email: michael.cuff25@btinternet.com www.macgardeningbath.co.uk

For Special Gardens (by M.A.C. Gardening Services)

Established 20 years Bath based company

45 Old Fosse Road Odd Down, Bath BA2 2SP Tel: 01225 352437 07894 210446 Fax: 01225 350429 Member of Painting, Decorating Association

Nigel Dando WE BUY Gold, Silver & Platinum in any form or condition.

Nigel Dando 11 Pulteney Bridge, Bath BA2 4AY Tel/Fax: 01225 464013 www.nigeldando.co.uk

B AT H L I V E S

Q&A

illiam Pryor feels a little disappointed that his ancestor Charles Darwin’s image is to disappear from the £10 note by the new year. But the Bath-based co-owner of Bookbarn International says he welcomes the natural evolution of the banknote – which will now feature one of his literary heroines, Jane Austen. Here he tells us more about growing up in a privileged family, his struggle to survive his younger years, and his all-time favourite spots in Bath. English naturalist Charles Darwin was my great-great-grandfather… My mother was the daughter of the artists Gwen and Jacques Raverat (Gwen was Darwin’s granddaughter). Being a part of such an extended family and their circle of friends – an intellectual elite that incuded the likes of Maynard Keynes and Virginia Woolf – has proved a challenge at times, though I have now found a way to sit comfortably in such grand clothes. This last has been helped by my taking on the directorship of the Raverat Archive that promotes my grandmother’s woodengraving prints and her writings.

WILLIAM PRYOR

The great-great-grandson of Charles Darwin discusses his addiction memoir, his Pink Floyd band-member friends, and being chairman of Bookbarn International which sells £1.5 million worth of books globally each year…

Growing up in a privileged family was odd… As a boy, I couldn’t understand that not everyone was like us – I didn’t know what any of it meant. This was amplified by the Darwins’ particular variety of self-conscious humility. As my grandmother wrote in her best-selling memoir Period Piece: ‘[W]e always felt embarrassed if our grandfather were mentioned, just as we did if God were spoken of. . . . [O]ne must not be proud, or show off about it; so we blushed and were embarrassed and changed the subject’.

There were occasions when I could have died as a result of my addiction… My survival story is like all survival stories: endurance through the deep, dark night of the soul, in the dim belief that there is light and life to be found somewhere. Darwin stuck at his research for 21 years before daring to publish On the Origin of Species and had little idea of the recognition the book would bring him.

My ancestor’s image is to be replaced by that of Jane Austen’s on the new £10 note… It’s sad in that he will no longer be displaying his magnificent beard in most people’s wallets. But to offset this, it’s wonderful that the quintessential Bathonian author, Jane Austen, should usurp him.

I used to hang out with a wild bunch… In the holidays from Eton (my privileged past coming through), my group of friends included Syd Barrett and David Gilmour [of Pink Floyd] but it went no further than mutual hanging out in coffee bars and at spaced-out teenage parties.

I wrote The Survival of the Coolest, my addiction memoir… Given my heritage, it might be a surprise to learn that I was a heroin addict. The title is a reference to that phrase about the fittest that Darwin was interested in. Perhaps, sometime in the future, you might be able to see the movie version of The Survival of the Coolest – I have written a wild symbolist screenplay adaptation of it that is looking for an adventurous producer and director.

I am a chairman of Bookbarn International... Inside our industrial building in the middle of the Somerset countryside is a kind of nirvana. It brings out the warm glow in people that comes from finding a haven dedicated to the written word in a brutish world. It’s the combination of the Full Stop Café with the £1-a-book shop and the huge stock of books destined for the internet.

242 I BATH LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk

We inevitably own fine, old and downright peculiar tomes… It was thus an easy decision to segregate the ‘special’ books and give them their own space: the Darwin Rare Book Room. Some of the oldest and rarest books are on sale here. I am also a

director of my wife’s business, Oriental Rugs of Bath, which is at Bookbarn International. The largest sum a book at Bookbarn has sold for is… Around £450. We sell around 700 books a day that are sent out to the far corners of the world. My wife and I moved to Bath in 1996… We still live here, on the edge of Bathampton. It was the combination of the beauty, the proximity of the countryside and the eccentricity quotient (more eccentrics per square mile than anywhere else) that drew us here. The city is wonderful… You can see off-centre movies at the Little Theatre; sit outside in Kingsmead Square under an enormous and beautiful plane tree drinking superb coffee; and experience scintillating music at The Bath Festival. My favourite shops to visit in Bath are.. Magalleria, and Bath Old Books. And my favourite restaurant is The Oven. The best view in the city is… The one from my garden office; I see the back of the London Road, the Bath Rugby practice ground and Solsbury Hill. For more, visit www.bookbarninternational.com